▁The ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁and ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁res ur rect ed ▁the ▁huge ▁weapons ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁clear ing ▁landing ▁zones ▁for ▁hel ic op ters ▁and ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁the ▁ 4 6 3 rd ▁comm enced ▁Comm ando ▁V ault ▁miss ions . ▁Although ▁the ▁stated ▁purpose ▁of ▁COM MA ND O ▁V A ULT ▁was ▁to ▁clear ▁L Z s , ▁they ▁were ▁also ▁used ▁on ▁enemy ▁base ▁cam ps ▁and ▁other ▁targets . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁was ▁eager ▁to ▁get ▁information ▁on ▁Chinese ▁nuclear ▁capabilities . ▁After ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁Cat ▁Squadron ▁to ▁plant ▁operating ▁sensor ▁pod s ▁near ▁the ▁L op ▁Nur ▁N uc lear ▁We ap ons ▁Test ▁Base ▁using ▁a ▁Lock he ed ▁U - 2 , ▁the ▁C IA ▁developed ▁a ▁plan , ▁named ▁He avy ▁Te a , ▁to ▁deploy ▁two ▁battery - power ed ▁sensor ▁pal lets ▁near ▁the ▁base . ▁To ▁deploy ▁the ▁pal lets , ▁a ▁Black ▁Bat ▁Squadron ▁crew ▁was ▁trained ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁to ▁fly ▁the ▁C - 1 3 0 ▁Her cules . ▁The ▁crew ▁of ▁ 1 2 , ▁led ▁by ▁Col ▁Sun ▁Pe i ▁Z hen , ▁took ▁off ▁from ▁Tak h li ▁Royal ▁Th ai ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁in ▁an ▁un mark ed ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁C - 1 3 0 E ▁on