A Legacy of Leadership, Service, and Sacrifice

Air Force ROTC Detachment 485 at Rutgers University stands as one of the original and most historic detachments in the nation. 

Established in the earliest days of the U.S. Air Force’s development, Det 485 has cultivated generations of exceptional officers, leaders, and Airmen who have gone on to serve with distinction across the globe.  
 

1946: Then-Army Chief of Staff General Dwight D. Eisenhower selected Rutgers University to host one of the first Air ROTC units, laying the groundwork for what would become Detachment 485.
 

1951: Detachment 485 was officially established under the newly formed United States Air Force, preceding the creation of the U.S. Air Force Academy and Officer Training School.
 

1967: Richard W. Herold graduated from Rutgers and commissioned as a Captain (O-3) into the U.S. Air Force. He served in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller (FAC).
 

1972: Capt Herold, callsign Raven 23, was killed in action during a covert reconnaissance mission over Laos on September 2. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart for his valor.
 

2009: In honor of Capt Herold and the heroic legacy of the Vietnam-era FAC community, Det 485 officially adopted the “Ravens” callsign—symbolizing courage, service, and sacrifice.
 

Detachment 485 continues to build on its proud legacy, preparing tomorrow’s leaders with the same integrity, excellence, and commitment that have defined its history for over 75 years.
 

Who Were the Ravens?

Ravens were Forward Air Controllers (FACs) who worked with the CIA to identify targets in Laos during the Vietnam War. Typically former fighter pilots, they flew unmarked Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs in civilian clothes to avoid detection.
 

Following the 1962 Geneva Accords, which called for Laos to remain neutral and for foreign military withdrawal, the U.S. pulled its forces from the region. Despite this, North Vietnam continued to use Laos as a supply route and stationed troops there. In response to a Lao government request for help, President Kennedy directed covert U.S. Air Force operations to support the Lao forces without breaching the Accords.

Ravens, often accompanied by Lao interpreters, marked enemy targets with smoke rockets, directed air strikes, and assessed damage to minimize civilian casualties. Selection for this mission required extensive combat experience and flying hours. Ravens faced heavy anti-aircraft fire, with 90% of their planes hit, 60% downed, and 30% of pilots killed in action.
 

“The best and the brightest, the craziest and the bravest Americans served in Laos, none braver than the men who flew in Combat as FACs known as Ravens…braving bad weather, tricky terrain, combat fatigue, poor maintenance, and occasional assassination teams to get the job done…” (Asa Baber, Chicago Suns-Times, Nov 1987).
 

“They went to war in blue jeans, T-shirts, and sometimes cowboy hats. It was a symbol of their disdain for the conventional, “bureaucratic” military. They were the Ravens, fighting a secret air war in the jungles of Laos, almost forgotten by everyone…” (San Antonio Light, Oct 1987).
 

“We heard about other pilots flying Cessna O-1s and North American T-28s out of places with exotic names like Luang Prabang, Xieng Khouang, Pakse, and Long Tieng. Fighter pilots are by nature independent and aggressive, and those mysterious bases had an allure for those who liked the idea of fighting a high-risk, no-bullshit war…” (Ralph Wetterhahn, Air & Space Magazine, Nov 1998).