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Edgar Buell was an Indiana farmer who provided humanitarian aid and agricultural training (including training in opium cultivation) to the Hmong people of Laos in the 1960s. He worked for International Voluntary Services under contract with USAID. Buell was drawn into the events of the Secret War, organizing relief for refugees and acting as a liaison between the Hmong and United States officials. Hmong veterans remember him as Tan Pop (Mr. Pop), a legendary figure who labored selflessly on their behalf. John Steinbeck remarked during a 1967 visit to Laos, "I think Pop is an example of how the ancient gods were born... Whether you believe it or not, there are still giants in the earth."
[edit] Further reading
- Don A. Schanche. Mister Pop. New York: David McKay, 1970.
- Roger Warner. Shooting at the Moon. Steerforth Press, 1996. ISBN 1-883642-36-1.
[edit] External links
