Colonel Bounleuth Saycocie (1 September 1931 - 23 October 2014) was a Lao military and political figure of the

Second Indochina War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

Biography

Bounleut Saycocie was born in Hineboune District, Khammouan Province and attended the ''Lycée Pavie'' in

Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...

followed by the Lao Military Academy (Army Officers School) at Dong Hene, Savannakhet Province. He also studied at the French Army Staff College (Ecole d'Etat-Major) in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

, Kansas. From 1960 to 1962 he was a lieutenant colonel and served as Military Attaché to the Royal Lao Embassy in Washington D.C. He was promoted to colonel in 1962 and served as Chief of Special Cabinet (Military Affairs) of the Ministry of Defense until 1964. From 1964 to 1966, he was Chief Logistics Officer of the

Royal Lao Army The Royal Lao Army (french: Armée royale du Laos – ARL), also designated by its anglicized title RLA, was the Land Component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Kingdom of Laos during the North Vietnamese invasio ...

in Vientiane. Bounleut attempted a coup on 31 January 1965.

Phoumi Nosavan Major General Phoumi Nosavan ( lo, ພູມີ ຫນໍ່ສວັນ; 27 January 1920 – 1985)Stuart-Fox, pp. 258–259. was a military strongman who was prominent in the history of the Kingdom of Laos; at times, he dominated its political life ...

attempted his own coup at the same time. Both coups were crushed by

Kouprasith Abhay Major-General Kouprasith Abhay ( lo, ກຸປຣະສິທທິ໌ ອະພັຍ; nicknamed 'Fat K'; 1926–1999?Stuart-Fox, pp. 169–170.) was a prominent military leader of the Kingdom of Laos during the Laotian Civil War. Scion of a s ...

by 3 February. Undaunted by his failure, Bounleut conspired with General

Thao Ma Brigadier-General Thao Ma (1931–1973) was a Laotian military and political figure of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War (aka Second Indochina War). Thao Ma began his military career as a paratrooper in the French Union Army, when Fran ...

to prepare for the

1966 Laotian coup Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo is ...

. After the coup failed, Bounleut took refuge in

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

where he remained until 1968, when he moved to France. Along with Phoumi, he is said to have assisted in drafting the plan for

's attempted coup in August 1973. Bounleut accompanied Thao Ma in the latter's seizure of Wattay International Airport on 20 August 1973. While Thao Ma commandeered aircraft, Bounleut drove an armored car into Vientiane to take over the radio station. At 07:00 hours, he broadcast a communiqué calling for the replacement of Prince Souvanna Phouma by Prince

Boun Oum Prince Boun Oum (also Prince Boun Oum Na Champassak; lo, ບຸນອຸ້ມ ນະ ຈຳປາສັກ; th, บุญอุ้ม ณ จัมปาศักดิ์; ; 2 December 1912 – 17 March 1980) was the son of King Ratsadanay, ...

. As the coup was suppressed, Bounleut stole a

Cessna U-17 The Cessna 185 Skywagon is a six-seat, single-engined, general aviation light aircraft manufactured by Cessna. It first flew as a prototype in July 1960, with the first production model completed in March 1961. The Cessna 185 is a high-winge ...

and returned to Thailand. After the

Lao People's Democratic Republic Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

was established by the communist Pathet Lao in 1975, Col. Bounleuth became a leader of the anti-communist political and military resistance against the communist Lao government and their Vietnamese mentors.Exclusive Interview with Touxoua LYFOUNG, Lao Nation Party President 1996
Given to Hmoob Vam Meej. Published in the Paj Tshiab Review] Col. Bounleuth finally immigrated to the US in 2000 as a political refugee. He had a stroke a few years later and is paralyzed and bed ridden. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.. He died on 23 October 2014 at the age of 83.

Notes

References

* Anthony, Victor B. and Richard R. Sexton (1993). ''The War in Northern Laos''. Command for Air Force History. OCLC 232549943. * Conboy, Kenneth and James Morrison (1995), ''Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos''. Paladin Press. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Saycocie, Bounleut 1931 births 2014 deaths Laotian military leaders Military personnel of the Vietnam War Laotian anti-communists People of the Laotian Civil War

Biography

See also

Notes

References