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Bill would give benefits to crews of Air America

Suzanne Struglinski

Wednesday, March 16, 2005 | 8:57 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Former employees of Air America, an airline secretly owned by the Central Intelligence Agency during the Cold War, could receive retirement and other federal benefits based on a bill introduced in Congress on Monday.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., along with Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., introduced a bill Monday that would give full government benefits to former employees of Air America, Air Asia Company Limited or the Pacific Division of Southern Air Transport.

The CIA owned and operated Air America from 1950 to 1976 to fly noncombat missions to China, Korea, Laos and Vietnam, but many employees did not know they were working for the government at the time.

Employees were hired under contracts that did not show the true ownership of the company. The airline flew under the corporate guise of the Civil Air Transport but provided airplanes and crew for secret intelligence operations.

Berkley's office estimates about a dozen people still living in Las Vegas worked for the company and would benefit from the bill.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., introduced a bill last year with the same intent. Spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said he is looking at reintroducing one this year, although it is unlikely to come this week.

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