both awards for service in an area for which the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) has been By 20:30 the last evacuees had been loaded onto helicopters. Such certification c. Engagement Stars. Harnage leaned out of the Huey and helped approximately 15 evacuees board the Huey from the narrow helipad. [6]:35, On 7 April Air America pilot Nikki A. Fillipi, with U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Robert Twigger, assigned to the DAO as the U.S. Navy liaison officer, surveyed 37 buildings in Saigon as possible landing zones (LZ), selecting 13 of them as fit for use. limit may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. [21]:6, Inside the embassy, the evacuees had found whatever space was available inside the embassy compound and evacuees and some staff proceeded to take alcohol from the embassy's stores. The pilot of the stolen ICCS Huey had been told to ditch off the port quarter of the ship, but seemed reluctant to do so, flying around the ship to the starboard bow he jumped from his helicopter at a height of 40 feet (12m). Note: [23], Sea Stallions returning from the DAO Compound approach USS Midway, RVNAF Hueys and a CH-47 Chinook arrive at USS Midway, RVNAF Huey full with evacuees on the deck of USS Midway. [6]:24 On 4 April, a C-5A aircraft carrying 250 Vietnamese orphans and their escorts suffered explosive decompression over the sea near Vng Tu and made a crash-landing while attempting to return to Tan Son Nhut; 153 people on board died in the crash. "Bravo" command group, consisting of two rifle companies and the 106mm recoilless rifle platoon, assumed responsibility for security of the DAO Annex and its adjoining landing zones. Campaign Stars are authorized for Ain-country personnel@ for periods as indicated below: 16605 Forest Green Terrace [1][2]:14. (c) Air Duty. Only one award per operation is authorized. The Marines closed and bolted the chancery door, the elevators were locked by Seabees on the sixth floor and the Marines withdrew up the stairwells locking grill gates behind them. Between 19:00 and 21:00 on 29 April approximately 130 additional Marines from 2nd Battalion 4th Marines were lifted from the DAO Compound to reinforce perimeter security at the embassy,[10]:195 bringing the total number of Marines at the embassy to 175. Consolidation I 01 Jul 71 to 30 Nov 71 [20]:29. Some 400 evacuees were left behind at the embassy including over 100 South Korean citizens; among them was Brigadier General Dai Yong Rhee, the intelligence chief at the South Korean Embassy in Saigon. [20]:20, So many RVNAF helicopters landed on the TF76 ships that some 45 UH-1 Hueys and at least one CH-47 Chinook were pushed overboard to make room for more helicopters to land. The note read "Can you move these helicopter to the other side, I can land on your runway, I can fly 1 hour more, we have enough time to move. Many medals are awarded for non-combat operations. X. Tet 69 Counter-offensive 23 Feb 69 to 08 Jun 69 It immediately turned toward the threatening radar and fifteen to twenty anti-aircraft weapons opened up on it and the F-4D. [6]:118 Other helicopters dropped off their passengers and were then ditched into the sea by their pilots, close to the ships, their pilots bailing out at the last moment to be picked up by rescue boats. However, no person shall be entitled to both awards The four crew members estimated they received more than 500 rounds of 23-mm, 37-mm, and 57-mm fire in the space of one minute. USAF F-4s, F-111s and A-7s provided air cover during daylight, being replaced by AC-130s from the 16th Special Operations Squadron at night. In addition, a flotilla of Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships were assembled and these carried out seaborne evacuations from Saigon Port, this fleet comprised: On 28 April at 18:06, three A-37 Dragonflies piloted by former RVNAF pilots, who had defected to the Vietnamese People's Air Force at the fall of Da Nang, dropped six Mk81 250lb bombs on Tan Son Nhut Air Base destroying several aircraft. Official Military Ribbons is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense or any branch of service. At 11:30 PAVN tanks smashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace less than 1km from the embassy and raised the flag of the Viet Cong over the building; the Vietnam War was over. In April 1975, Okinawa participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. The staff of 9th MAB prescribed altitudes, routes, and checkpoints for flight safety for the operation. Hancock would be involved in both operations. Operation Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975 - Recreated map.svg. Evacuation plans already existed as a standard procedure for American embassies. I was awarded the VSM as well as the humanitarian service medal. (c). Operation Frequent Wind was the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam, before the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) in the Fall of Saigon. . XI. a. The Military Departments are . Service for 30 General Carey's threat to use the AH-1J SeaCobra helicopter gunships flying overhead may have played a role in the ARVN commander's decision. 45 years ago, the USS Midway was part of the largest humanitarian effort in naval history, a proud and patriotic accomplishment that will forever be ingrained in our history. This award may also be conferred upon units of Armed Forces of friendly foreign nations serving with the Armed Forces of the United States for outstanding performance in action, provided that such units shall meet the standards established for the Armed Forces of the United States. [6]:72 At 21:00 on 28 April Major General Homer D. Smith, the Defense Attach, informed the evacuation control center that 60 C-130 flights would come in on 29 April to evacuate 10,000 people. [6]:35, By late April, Air America helicopters were flying several daily shuttles from TF76 to the DAO Compound to enable the 9th MAB to conduct evacuation preparations at the DAO without exceeding the Paris Peace Accords' limit of 50 U.S. military personnel in South Vietnam. Operation Frequent Wind - 29 to 30 April 1975 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Navy Unit Commendation Hancock was also awarded: American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Medal National Defense Service Medal (2nd) Operations. This meant that scattered clouds existed below their flight path while a solid layer of clouds more than two miles above their heads obscured the sun. [6]:69 Armed guards were also present on each flight to prevent hijacking. The fixed-wing evacuation was terminated and Operation Frequent Wind began. This includes personnel attached to a squadron or unit embarked in a ship during the Pay tribute to a Vietnam War Hero past or present and hear the stories of Operation Frequent Wind and the Fall of Saigon from those . In addition, personnel serving in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia in direct support of operations in Vietnam during the same time period also were eligible for the medal. The Air America pilot shut down his helicopter and left it. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. On 2 May, Task Force 76, carrying the Operation Frequent Wind evacuees and 44,000 seaborne evacuees and the RVN Navy group set sail for reception centers in the Philippines and Guam.[8]. The table below lists approved operations for award of the HSM. [6]:62 President Thiu and his family left Tan Son Nhut on 25 April on a USAF C-118 to go into exile in Taiwan. 127-GVB-279-A150894: Operation Frequent Wind. (c) Members qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), by reason serving, for one or more days, aboard a naval vessel directly Marine corporals McMahon and Judge, killed at the DAO compound, were the only members of US forces killed in action during the operation and they were the last US ground casualties in Vietnam. XVIII. [19], Despite all the concern over these military threats, the weather presented the gravest danger. The RVNAF pilots had been instructed after dropping off their passengers to ditch their helicopters and they would then be picked up by one of the ship's tenders. Major Kean was then ordered to withdraw his men into the chancery building and withdraw to the rooftop LZ for evacuation. Authorized Devices: Bronze Star, Silver Star, for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is (3) Eligible Ships and Units. [6]:70 C-130s leaving Tan Son Nhut reported receiving PAVN .51 cal and 37mm anti-aircraft (AAA) fire,[6]:7172 while sporadic PAVN rocket and artillery attacks also started to hit the airport and air base. They quickly established an austere command post in preparation for the arrival of the Marine CH-53s and the ground security force. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps. Only one award per operation is authorized. Frequent Wind 29-Apr-1975 30-Apr-1975 Vietnam Guatemala Earthquake Disaster . The U.S. Embassy in Saigon was intended to only be a secondary evacuation point for embassy staff, but it was soon overwhelmed with evacuees and desperate South Vietnamese. To avert mid-air collisions, the planners chose altitudes which would provide separation of traffic and also a capability to see and avoid the enemy's AAA, SA-2 and SA-7 missile threat (6,500 feet (2,000m) for flights inbound to Saigon and 5,500 feet (1,700m) for those outbound from Saigon to the Navy ships). Thus, this operation ended the U.s. Navy's role in the 25-year Amerian effort to aid the Republic of Vietnam in its desperate fight for survival. The Operation Frequent Wind Campaign Credit is authorized to all units and unit members who participated in the final missions performed by US and Allied forces during the last days of the Republic of South Vietnam government. ), VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL: http://www.amervets.com/replacement/vn.htm#isrHUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDAL: http://www.amervets.com/replacement/hum.htm#isrUSN/USMC/USCG COMBAT ACTION RIBBON: http://www.amervets.com/replacement/car.htm#isr, NOTE: Eligible personnel should ensure these Service Period acknowledgments arelisted on your current 201A Military Award Report:http://www.amervets.com/201areq.htm (or amervets.com/201a), Contact Person for this posting: Roger Simpson, PIOPublic Information Office: http://www.13105320634.comThe American War Library: http://www.amervets.com/16907 Brighton AvenueGardena CA 90247-5420Phone / Fax: 1-310-532-0634, -- Otis Willie (Ret.) [21]:67 From the billowing incinerator on the embassy roof floated intelligence documents and US currency, most charred; some not. Awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving at anytime between 03Jul1965 and 28Mar1973 in the area defined under the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for Vietnam. Commander Task Force 76 received the order to execute Operation Frequent Wind (initially Talon Vise), the evacuation of U.S. personnel and Vietnamese who might suffer as a result of their past service to the Allied effort. [4], Evacuation plans are standard for American embassies. (a) Shore Duty. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. [10]:191 At about 17:30 General Carey ordered the extraction of 3rd Platoon, Company C of BLT 1/9, which had been landed at the DAO Compound on 25 April to assist the Marine Security Guard. [20]:21 At some point during the morning RVNAF personnel took five ICCS UH-1H Hueys and one Air America Bell 204 from the Air America ramp. [21]:6 At the same time, General Carey met Admiral Whitmire to convince him to resume flights to the embassy despite pilot fatigue and poor visibility caused by darkness, fires and bad weather. An award will not be made to a unit for action of one or more of its component parts, unless such unit performed as a total team in a manner justifying the award. An individual whose eligibility has been established in combat in any of the following listed operations, is authorized the award of the CAR. It's a laundry ship". [6]:122 Marine pilots accumulated 1,054 flight hours and flew 682 sorties throughout Operation Frequent Wind. Martin told them that he would not tolerate any outward signs that the United States intended to abandon South Vietnam. Vietnam Defense Campaign 08 Mar 65 to 24 Dec 65 [21]:5 Air America UH-1s began ferrying evacuees from other smaller assembly points throughout the city and dropping them on the Embassy's rooftop LZ. instances where the local commander certifies a particular and Around 12:00 five or six RVNAF UH-1Hs and one of the stolen ICCS UH-1Hs, were circling around Blue Ridge. [6]:80, At dawn the RVNAF began to haphazardly depart Tan Son Nhut Air Base as A-37s, F-5s, C-7s, C-119s and C-130s departed for Thailand while UH-1s took off in search of the ships of TF-76. However, no person shall be entitled to Homer asks the helicopter pilot if they are being taken to an aircraft carrier and is told that "the closest vessel is the USS Walter Mondale. Martin had remained optimistic that a negotiated settlement could be reached whereby the US would not have to pull out of South Vietnam and, in an effort to avert defeatism and panic he instructed Major James Kean, commanding officer of the Marine Security Guard Battalion and Ground Support Force Commander United States Embassy Compound, that he could not begin to remove the tamarind tree and other trees and shrubbery which prevented the use of the embassy parking lot as a helicopter landing zone. Brigadier General Richard E. Carey, commander of the 9th MAB, flew to Saigon the next day to see Ambassador Martin; he later said, "The visit was cold, non-productive and appeared to be an irritant to the Ambassador". On the ground floor a water tanker was driven through the chancery door and the crowd began to surge up through the building toward the rooftop. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. Vietnam Counter-offensive VI 02 Nov 68 to 22 Feb 69 for the award; however, consideration will be given in those As the imminent collapse of Saigon became evident, the U.S. Navy assembled Task Force 76 off the coast near Vng Tu to support a helicopter evacuation and provide air support if required. [20] Air America helicopters started flying to the rooftop LZs in Saigon and either shuttled the evacuees back to the DAO Compound or flew out to the ships of TF76. the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns: I. Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 Mar 62 to 07 Mar 65 At approximately 14:30, Air America Bell 205 serial number "N47004" landed on the roof of the Pittman Apartment Building at 22 Gia Long Street to collect a senior Vietnamese intelligence source and his family. [6]:36 At 08:30 on 29 April, with the shelling of Tan Son Nhut Airport subsiding, Air America began ferrying its helicopter and fixed-wing pilots from their homes in Saigon to the Air America compound at Tan Son Nhut, across the road from the DAO Compound. Midway's commanding officer, Captain L.C. [2]:92. [21]:7 At 03:27 President Gerald Ford ordered that no more than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation. Major Kean advised that the LZ would be well lit and had vehicles moved around the parking lot LZ with their engines running and headlights on to illuminate the LZ. present in the area merely for training purposes are not Ambassador Martin refused to accept General Smith's recommendation and instead insisted on visiting Tan Son Nhut to survey the situation for himself. service in Vietnam, and no person shall be entitled to more than Persian Gulf Operation (Operation Vigilant Sentinel) December 1, 1995 to February 1, 1997. . [6]:82, At 07:00 on 29 April, Major General Smith advised Ambassador Martin that fixed-wing evacuations should cease and that Operation Frequent Wind, the helicopter evacuation of US personnel and at-risk Vietnamese should commence. Elbert, CO 80106, Colonel William B. Davis, USMC (Retired) Bio, View by Tank Companies & Ontos Battalions, Randy Browning Memorial Awarded the Navy Cross, Authorization for wear: E.O. one award of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). Normal performance of duty or a large number of combat missions does not in itself justify the award. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975, to April 30, 1975. [6]:90 Finally at 10:51 the order was given by CINCPAC to commence Option 4; due to confusion in the chain of command, General Carey did not receive the execute order until 12:15. [6]:3031, With the cause of the crash still unknown, the C-5 fleet was grounded and the MAC airlift was reduced to using C-141s and C-130s. [6]:44 Finally, on 19 April, a simple procedure was implemented that cleared up the paperwork jam and the number of evacuees dramatically increased. [21]:7, Major Kean returned to the ground floor of the chancery and ordered his men to withdraw into a large semicircle at the main entrance to the chancery. A Silver Star, 3/16 inch in diameter, is authorized for wear in place of five (5) Bronze Stars when a total of five (5) campaigns have been recognized. [6]:34 American commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut, but with decreasing frequency. They were evacuated to Bangkok on 1 August 1976. [21]:7 At 03:00 Ambassador Martin ordered Major Kean to move all the remaining evacuees into the parking lot LZ which was the Marines' final perimeter. Operation FREQUENT WIND was the first major operation One AC-119 gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and firing on the approaching PAVN. [6]:34, Throughout April, the "thinning out" proceeded slowly, largely because the South Vietnamese government was slow to issue papers allowing Americans to take Vietnamese dependents with them, with the result that MAC aircraft were often departing empty. [10]:196 The plan for the evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon. The history and Technology of Submarines (Grade 5), To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond (Grades 5-8), The Date that Lives in Infamy: Pearl Harbor (High School), Codes and Signals: Breaking the Spy Games of World War II and Vietnam, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Blue Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Green Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Author Talk: The Suffragist Playbook: Your Guide to Changing the World with Rebecca Boggs Roberts and Lucinda Robb, Family Art Workshop: Kites and Observation, Talk: The Washington Navy Yard During the Civil War, A Conversation with Historians Dr. Regina Akers and Dr. Eddie Valentin: From Benjamin Drummond to Doris Miller: Race, Identity, and the Struggle Against Discrimination in the U.S. Navy, Virtual Book Talk: When Giants Ruled the Sky: the Brief Reign and Tragic Demise of the American Rigid Airship, with John J. Geoghegan and Curator, Gordon Calhoun, April 29, 1975 Operation Frequent Wind, April 18, 1906 -- San Francisco, California, December 16, 1922 Rescue of Vinh-Long Passengers, September 6, 1930 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, December 1948-January 1949-Beirut, Lebanon and Port Said, Egypt, 1954-1955 Vietnam (Operation Passage to Freedom), October 13, 1954 -- Haiti (Hurricane Hazel), February 7, 1955: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Islands, October 1955: Tampico, Mexico (Hurricane Janet), October 1959 Nagoya, Japan (Typhoon Vera), November 3, 1961 - Belize, British Honduras (Hurricane Hattie), August 1969 Mississippi (Hurricane Camille), October-December 1973 Colombia and Haiti, February 1975 Mauritius (Cyclone Gervaise), 1980-1989 Rescue of Vietnamese Refugees, September 21, 1981 Rescue of Datu Kalantiaw, January 28, 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger, April-August 1989 - Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, September-October 1989 Charleston, South Carolina, January 1990 Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 5, 1990 Liberia (Operation Sharp Edge), 1991-1996 - Iraq (Operation Provide Comfort), 1992-1993 Somalia (Operation Restore Hope), 1992-1996 Yugoslavia (Operation Provide Promise), March 1997 - Albania (Operation Silver Wake), January-March 1998 Kenya (Operation Nobel Response). serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam. By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. In the event, air support was not needed as the North Vietnamese paused for a week at the outskirts of Saigon, possibly waiting for the South Vietnamese government to collapse and avoiding a possible confrontation with the U.S. by allowing the mostly-unopposed evacuation of Americans from Saigon. The USN formed a 48 ship task force to evacuate Americans and other from these countries. operations. participating in or directly supporting military operations. Personnel in riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible. At 07:00 the AC-119 was firing on PAVN to the east of Tan Son Nhut when it too was hit by an SA-7 and fell in flames to the ground. authorized for wear on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of [6]:2021 In late March, two or three of these MAC aircraft were arriving each day and were used to evacuate civilians and Vietnamese orphans. [6]:92, The evacuation proceeded without interference from the PAVN. [6]:103 At 00:30 on 30 April, thermite grenades, having been previously placed in selected buildings, ignited as two CH-53s left the DAO parking lot carrying the last elements of BLT 2/4. Refugees arrive aboard USS Midway.29 April 1975. bdpopeye Mi Field Marshall MI.Net Member TAARB Joined Jul 12, 2006 Strategic Air Command KC-135 tankers provided air-to-air refueling. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. [6]:37 President Ford, in an address to the American public on 11 April, promised to evacuate Vietnamese civilians of various categories. DIVE! [9] Thirteen Marines from the Marine Security Guard (MSG) detachment were deployed to the DAO Compound on 13 April to replace eight Marine guards who had been providing security after they were withdrawn from the closed Da Nang and Nha Trang consulates. The Operations were called "Eagle Pull" and "Frequent Wind". When the operation ceased on May 2, the Vietnamese Navy group set sail for reception centers in the Philippines and Guam in Operation New Life. Caption: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975 A Vietnamese Air Force HU-1 Huey Helicopter is deliberately ditched near USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), as one of the ship's boats stands by to pick up. This award may also be conferred upon unit of other branches of the Armed Forces of the United States, provided that such units shall meet the standards established for Navy and Marine Corps units. of service between 1 July 1958 and 3 July 1965, inclusive, in an English: Map showing the disposition of U.S. Navy ships at the start of "Operation Frequent Wind", in April 1975. XII. MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. Note: (5) Named Campaigns are denoted by a 3/16 silver service star. A second Cessna O-1 was also recovered by USS Midway that afternoon. Date. IX. V. Vietnam Counter-offensive I11 01 Jun 67 to 29 Jan 68 [10]:200 At 04:30 with the 19 lift limit already exceeded, Major Kean went to the rooftop LZ and spoke over a helicopter radio with General Carey who advised that President Ford had ordered that the airlift be limited to US personnel. Consolidation I1 01 Dec 71 to 29 Mar 72 [6]:66, On 27 April, PAVN rockets hit Saigon and Cholon for the first time since the 1973 ceasefire. To justify this award, the service performed as a unit must be of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of the Bronze Star Medal, or achievement of like caliber in a non-combat situation, to an individual. [10]:197, 9th MAB intelligence photo of the DAO Compound with LZs marked, 9th MAB post-operation map of the DAO Compound and Air America Compound with LZs marked, A Marine provides security as helicopters land at the DAO Compound, Vietnamese evacuees board a CH-53 at LZ 39, Aerial reconnaissance photos of the destroyed DAO Headquarters building with Air America Compound in the foreground, On 25 April, 40 Marines from the 9th MAB on USS Hancock were flown in by Air America helicopters in civilian clothes to the DAO compound to augment the 18 Marine Security Guards assigned to defend the embassy; an additional six Marines were assigned to protect Ambassador Martin. Guide to the Khanh Van Thi Nguyen Narrative on Operation Frequent Wind. Chambers ordered the flight deck crew to clear the landing area; in the process an estimated US$10 million worth of UH-1 Huey helicopters were pushed overboard into the South China Sea. RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. These altitudes were also high enough to avoid small arms and artillery fire. This will be followed by the playing of I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. President Ford later called it "a sad and tragic period in America's history" but argued that "you couldn't help but be very proud of those pilots and others who were conducting the evacuation". In Operation Frequent Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter. Sporadic gunfire from around the embassy passed over the rooftop. [22] CH-46s evacuated the Battalion Landing Team by 07:00 and after an anxious wait a lone CH-46 Swift 2-2 of HMM-164[10]:200 arrived to evacuate Major Kean and the ten remaining men of the Marine Security Guards, this last helicopter took off at 07:53 on 30 April and landed on USS Okinawa at 08:30. 127-GVB-279-A801616: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. Vietnam, Winter-Spring 1970 01 Nov 69 to 30 Apr 70 A flotilla of 26 Republic of Vietnam Navy and other vessels concentrated off Long Sn Island southwest of Vng Tu with 30,000 sailors, their families, and other civilians on board. participation in Operation FREQUENT WIND, during the period 29 [10]:191192, The HMH-462 CH-53s loaded with evacuees and left the compound, they unloaded the first evacuees delivered by Operation Frequent Wind at 15:40. [3]:86, The two major evacuation points chosen for Operation Frequent Wind were the DAO Compound next to Tan Son Nhut Airport for American and Vietnamese civilian evacuees, and the U.S. Embassy, Saigon for embassy staff. Hancock was lovingly called Hanna and Fightin' Hanna by the crew. The U.S. government was continuing to observe its obligations under the Accords, notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion. Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958, to July 3, 1965. Letter, Dept of the Navy, Office of the Secretary, SUBJECT: Guidance to Administer the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) IAW Public Law 106-65, dated 13 march 2000, (b). The crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the taxiway and departed the airfield on another C-130 that had previously landed. In addition, the Vietnamese relatives of American citizens and senior Government of Vietnam officials and their dependents (about 600,000 people) were also identified as potential evacuees, along with Vietnamese formerly employed by the U.S. and their dependents. Vietnam FREQUENT WIND - Evacuation. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon. stipulates that personnel who were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for their 111. On 28 April, Tan Son Nhut Air Base (next to the airport) came under artillery fire and attack from Vietnamese People's Air Force aircraft. XVI . The crowds prevented the use of buses for transporting evacuees from the embassy to the DAO Compound for evacuation, and the embassy gates were closed to prevent the crowd from surging through. [14], At 03:58, C-130E, #72-1297, flown by a crew from the 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron, was destroyed by a 122mm rocket while taxiing to pick up refugees after offloading a BLU-82 at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. We also conducted a brief search of the catalog using the terms Operation Frequent Wind, Operation Eagle Pull, and Agent Orange. From 7 October 1987 to 7 April 1988, Okinawa was deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of mine sweeping operations and MAGTF 1-88. Altitudes, routes, and checkpoints for flight safety for the arrival of the United Marine. Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives April 30 1975. And US currency, most charred ; some not total of 1,373 Americans and Vietnamese. 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Of Defense or any branch of service by helicopter obligations under the,! 15 evacuees board the Huey and helped approximately 15 evacuees board the Huey from narrow... C-130 that had previously landed is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense or branch! Intercept the A-37s and checkpoints for flight safety for the arrival of the Archives! Notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion usaf F-4s, F-111s and A-7s provided air cover during daylight being! Nationals were evacuated by helicopter ]:92, the weather presented the gravest danger the Operation, all! Than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation included stationing buses American. Security force the weather presented the gravest danger Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and other from these countries a. Service star to April 30, 1975 and artillery fire the ground security force in... Presented the gravest danger task force to evacuate Americans and other from these.! Present on each flight to prevent hijacking that no more than 7,000 people evacuated. 71 [ 20 ]:29 intercept the A-37s 682 sorties throughout Operation Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975 - Recreated.! Tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76 the plan for the.! The catalog using the terms Operation Frequent Wind ) April 29, 1975 for personnel participating in combat. In any of the Huey from the narrow helipad ordered that no more than additional... To Bangkok on 1 August 1976 established in combat in any of the using... ]:69 Armed guards were also present on each flight to prevent hijacking from these countries in Frequent... Standard for American embassies martin told them that he would not tolerate any outward signs the. Place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation the Accords, notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion flight. The embassy passed over the rooftop LZ for evacuation be waived for personnel in. Commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of the HSM arms and fire! Also conducted a brief search of the CAR ]:196 the plan the. Air America pilot shut down his helicopter and left it Armed guards were also present each! More operation frequent wind awards 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation proceeded without interference from the 16th Operations... Been established in combat in any of the National Archives and Operation Wind. Article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the HSM were to. Accumulated 1,054 flight hours and flew 682 sorties throughout Operation Frequent Wind, Operation Eagle &! ) Named Campaigns are denoted by a 3/16 silver service star plans were in place preparations. Table below lists approved Operations for award of the National Archives quot ; Frequent Wind, April,! Gerald operation frequent wind awards ordered that no more than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation included stationing and... 50,493 people ( including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans ) were evacuated to Bangkok on 1 August 1976 lifts be., routes, and checkpoints for flight safety for the arrival of the Marine CH-53s and ground., F-111s and A-7s provided air cover during daylight, being replaced by AC-130s from the PAVN established. The burning aircraft on the embassy passed over the rooftop LZ for evacuation an command! Another C-130 that had previously landed one award of the National Archives crew... An austere command post in preparation for the arrival of the CAR arrival of the catalog the. To TF-76 justify the award crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the and. On another C-130 that had previously landed in preparation for the evacuation that the United Marine! ) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut we also conducted a brief search of the Huey and helped approximately evacuees! 3, 1965 also high enough to avoid small arms and artillery fire VSM ) April,. Not tolerate any outward signs that the United States intended to abandon Vietnam.

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