The Monroe County Historical Association has announced a free program on the origins of heavily classified CIA militarization and covert Special Forces operations in Laos during the Vietnam War at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Stroud Mansion, 900 Main St., Stroudsburg.

U.S. Air Force veteran Capt. Alan Price Young will present “The Last Prop Fighter: 130 combat missions in the A-1 Skyraider” as part of the Third Thursday Lecture Series. Young flew 130 close air support and Combat Search and Rescue missions in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia from May 1970 to May 1971.

Young will stay until all questions have been answered about these events, as well any questions about the Raven FACs, Air America, Prairie Fire Emergencies and the Son Tay Raid, a 1970 nighttime top-secret POW rescue attempt at a prison camp 23 miles from Hanoi.

He strongly encourages those attending to watch the new Ken Burns PBS series, “The Vietnam War,” beforehand.

The Third Thursday Lecture Series is free, but reservations are required due to limited space. Light refreshments will be served after the program. The presentation will be held on the second floor of the Stroud Mansion, which is not handicap-accessible.

For additional information or to make a reservation, contact the Monroe County Historical Association office at 570-421-7703 or email info@monroehistorical.org.