Scope and Contents

Air America reunion scrapbooks, 1984-1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 (facsimile), 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Poster of Air America Helicopter pilots, 1960-1973, information and photographs compiled in 1984. Also, a mannequin named 'George' and an Air America uniform displayed at Air America reunions over the years.

Biographical / Historical

Duane Keele was born in 1939 in Gatesville, Texas. In 1963, he volunteered for the United States Marine Corps, where he served for a total of six years, one of which was served in Southeast Asia. During this time, Keele was assigned to HMM 161 (Medium Helicopter Squadron 161) from May 1965 through September 1965 and to HMM 165 from September 1965 through May 1966. Ranked first as a First Lieutenant and then as a Captain, Keele served as a helicopter pilot and as a schedules officer at Chu Lai and Phu Bai. His secondary service was with Air America, Inc. He served with Air America from 1968 to 1974, for a total of six years, as a helicopter pilot based out of Udorn, Thailand, and flew throughout Laos and Thailand.

Related Materials

Duane Keele also donated materials (correspondence, memoranda, forms, manuals, booklets, newsletters, log books, ephemera, scrapbooks, clippings, articles, charts, audio mini-cassette tapes, moving images, and photographs) related to his service with Air America to the University of Texas at Dallas: https://libarchives.utdallas.edu/repositories/2/resources/333