The cause of the crash was never determined. [6]:27 By 16 April, Alamo was complete: water, C-rations, petroleum, oil, and lubricants had been stockpiled; backup electricity generators had been installed; sanitary facilities were completed; and concertina wire protected the perimeter. [14]:63, After the evacuation signal was given, the buses began to pick up passengers and head to the DAO Compound. the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns: I. Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 Mar 62 to 07 Mar 65 [6]:111 However, one USAF report states that an F-4C Wild Weasel and an F-4D of the 388th Fighter Wing, was patrolling between Tan Son Nhut and Bien Hoa about 16:00 when the Wild Weasel detected SAM radar emissions to the north. Vietnam Counter-offensive 25 Dec 65 to 30 Jun 66 As this was happening, a firefight between two ARVN units broke out and caught the rearmost buses in the crossfire, disabling two of the vehicles. 111. (check below for additional Republic of Vietnam unit awards). During the course of the operation an unknown number of RVNAF helicopters flew out of what remained of South Vietnam to the fleet. authorized for wear on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of The 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade (9th MAB), which was to supply helicopters and a security force for the evacuation, sent a delegation to consult with Ambassador Graham Martin on current plans on 12 April. Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. In April 1975, Okinawa participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. This award may also maybe conferred upon units of the other branches of the Armed Forces of the United States and of friendly foreign nations serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, provided that such units shall meet the standards established for Navy and Marine Corps units. This directive was subsequently reversed; some operators had ignored it anyway. The following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. c. Engagement Stars. Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) Ribbon Synopsis: Awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps for outstanding performance in action. [21]:67 From the billowing incinerator on the embassy roof floated intelligence documents and US currency, most charred; some not. [10]:182 This was the last USAF fixed-wing aircraft to leave Tan Son Nhut. Guide to the Khanh Van Thi Nguyen Narrative on Operation Frequent Wind. But these restrictions were relaxed and eventually ignored altogether as the pace of the evacuation quickened. The fixed-wing evacuation was terminated and Operation Frequent Wind began. 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. New National Museum of the U.S. Navy-October 2020, New National Museum of the U.S. Navy - October 2022, Exhibits: New National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Exhibits: New National Museum of the U.S. Navy - Main, The American Revolution and the French Alliance, The Forgotten Wars of the Nineteenth Century, Civil War: Securing the Seas for Union Victory, Education Resources (Lesson Plans and Class Activities), Education Resources (Lesson Plans and Class Activities) - Main, Sailor's Life at Sea & Poetry (Grades 4-6), DIVE! XVIII. Note: A Bronze Star, 3/16 inch in diameter, is authorized to be worn on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns. [21]:7 At 03:27 President Gerald Ford ordered that no more than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation. Click on unit logos above for eligibility. [10]:197 At 23:40 Marines destroyed the satellite terminal, the DAO Compound's last means of direct communication with the outside world. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Naval Unit Commendation (NUC) Ribbon Synopsis: Awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps which has distinguished itself by outstanding heroism is action against the enemy, but not sufficient to justify the award of the Presidential Unit Citation; or to any such unit which has distinguished itself by extremely meritorious service not involving combat but in support of military operations, rendering the unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service. 2. An individual whose eligibility has been established in combat in any of the following listed operations, is authorized the award of the CAR. Ambassador Martin refused to accept General Smith's recommendation and instead insisted on visiting Tan Son Nhut to survey the situation for himself. [39], The second act of the stage musical Miss Saigon depicts events leading up to, and during Operation Frequent Wind, with the main protagonists (Chris and Kim) becoming separated as a result of the evacuation. Air America helicopters continued to make rooftop pickups until after nightfall by which time navigation became increasingly difficult. The two enlisted crewmen survived, but the bodies of the pilots were not recovered. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps. In addition, Air America helicopters and RVNAF aircraft brought additional evacuees to the TF76 ships. 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. The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. a. [10]:196 The plan for the evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon. and 28 March 1973, in the area defined under the Armed Forces XVII . I now have metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to file a claim with the VA for disability. of the United States in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the air No person may be issued both the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for Note: [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. Midway's commanding officer, Captain L.C. (d) Temporary Duty. One AC-119 gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and firing on the approaching PAVN. eligible for the award. serving, for one or more days, aboard a naval vessel directly [6]:38[10]:178179, By late March, the embassy began to reduce the number of U.S. citizens in Vietnam by encouraging dependents and non-essential personnel to leave the country by commercial flights and on Military Airlift Command (MAC) C-141 and C-5 aircraft, which were still bringing in emergency military supplies. [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. [40], In The Simpsons at the end of Episode 16 of Season 6, "Bart vs. Australia", the Simpsons are evacuated from the American Embassy as angry Australians gather outside in a scene reminiscent of Hubert van Es's famous photo. eligible for the medal. [8], On 1 April an evacuation control center manned by U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force (USAF) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) personnel began operating at the Defense Attach Office (DAO) compound on 12-hour shifts, increasing to 24-hour shifts the next day. XIII. The USN formed a 48 ship task force to evacuate Americans and other from these countries. space thereof, between 4 July 1965 and 28 March 1973, and Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign 30 Mar 72 to 28 Jan 73 [20]:2425 A stolen Air America Bell 204 landed on Kirk, from where US Navy pilots flew it to Okinawa. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975, to April 30, 1975. MARINES THAT WERE AWARDED THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL FOR PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION FREQUENT WIND FROM 29-30 APRIL 1975 ARE NOW ENTITLED TO EXCHANGE IT FOR THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL PER SECTION 542 IN PUBLIC LAW 107-314. All Air America flights had ceased by 21:00. 2 Per reference (b) above, paragraph 14 (Page 2-20) of said reference states: (1). Major Kean was then ordered to withdraw his men into the chancery building and withdraw to the rooftop LZ for evacuation. [6]:34 American commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut, but with decreasing frequency. ), 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.) (c) Air Duty. The evacuation of personnel from the DAO compound had lasted nine hours and involved over 50 Marine Corps and Air Force helicopters. 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. At dawn on 29 April two A-1 Skyraiders began patrolling the perimeter of Tan Son Nhut at 2,500 feet (760m) until one was shot down, presumably by an SA-7 missile. [6]:91 During their approach to the compound, Carey and Gray got a firsthand view of the PAVN's firepower as they shelled nearby Tan Son Nhut Airport with ground, rocket, and artillery fire. Pilots of other helicopters were told to drop off their passengers and then take off and ditch in the sea, from where they would be rescued. 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 . The tail rotor sheared off and embedded itself in the engine of an Air America Bell 205 that was doing a hot refueling on the helipad at the rear of the ship. Service for 30 [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. Vietnam FREQUENT WIND - Evacuation. Click on red bar for more info. [35], On the afternoon of 29 April 1975, Hubert van Es, a Saigon-based photographer for United Press International, took the iconic photo of Operation Frequent Wind of an Air America UH-1 on a rooftop picking up Vietnamese evacuees. 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. 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. 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. [14]:30, At 17:00 the first CH-46 landed at the embassy. V. Vietnam Counter-offensive I11 01 Jun 67 to 29 Jan 68 Shown: A Vietnamese woman, carrying her son, is given a numbered tag as she arrives onboard USS Hancock (CV-19). Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for Vietnam. This will be followed by the playing of I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. (d) Public Law 107-314 of 2 December 2002 stipulates that personnel who were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for their participation in Operation FREQUENT WIND, during the period 29 to 30 April 1975, may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such service. [17] Members of the police in Saigon had been promised evacuation in exchange for protecting the American evacuation buses and control of the crowds in the city during the evacuation. Bronze Marine Corps Device(Navy), 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). After receiving permission from the airborne commander, the Wild Weasel marked the three 57-mm sites with an AGM-45 Shrike missile and took evasive action to escape the tracers coming in. [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. one award of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). Military News and Information Editor http://www.13105320634.com The American War Library, Est. It is so sad that so many of use never received what was due us.. Eventually the ARVN commander controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound. Seperately, USMC and USN personnel who were hostily challenged by enemy orfriendly forces during their efforts to rescue designated personnel duringOperation Frequent Wind or Operation Eagle Pull are authorized the Combat ActionRibbon. On that final day, USAF aircraft flew a total of 1,422 sorties over Saigon. Meritorious Unit Citation (MUC) Ribbon Synopsis: Awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps which has distinguished itself, under combat or non-combat conditions, by either valorous or meritorious achievement which renders the unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service, but not sufficient to justify the award of the Navy Unit Commendation. serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam. Note: (5) Named Campaigns are denoted by a 3/16 silver service star. The booklet included a map of Saigon pinpointing "assembly areas where a helicopter will pick you up." I was awarded the VSM as well as the humanitarian service medal. Sanctuary Counter-offensive 01 May 70 to 30 Jun 70 As they approached the helicopters had taken rifle and M-79 grenade fire from ARVN troops but without causing any apparent damage. Only personnel attached to Consolidation I 01 Jul 71 to 30 Nov 71 instances where the local commander certifies a particular and 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. RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. XI. Operation Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975 - Recreated map.svg. The U.S. Air Force played a key role in Operation FRE-QUENTWIND. MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. All planning would have to be conducted with the utmost discretion. to 30 April 1975, may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such [41][42], The operation was the subject of the 2014 PBS documentary Last Days in Vietnam.[43]. Bronze Arrowhead (Army), For current prices select the image or one of the following links, Military Medals and Military Ribbons links, Official Military Ribbons-- provides information and links for. [6]:99 The Hanoi leadership, reckoning that completion of the evacuation would lessen the risk of American intervention, had apparently instructed General Dng not to target the airlift itself. [6]:46 The fall of Xun Lc on 21 April and the resignation of President Nguyn Vn Thiu on 21 April brought greater crowds seeking evacuation to the DAO Compound as it became apparent that South Vietnam's days were numbered. member in one or more aerial flights, directly supporting X. Tet 69 Counter-offensive 23 Feb 69 to 08 Jun 69 authorized. A C-130 Airborne Command and Control controlled all US air operations over land. [10]:201 CH-46F Swift 1-4 of HMM-164 from USS Hancock flown by Captain William C. Nystul[31] and First Lieutenant Michael J. Shea[32] crashed into the sea on its approach to the ship after having flown a night sea and air rescue mission. Operation FREQUENT WIND 29 Apr 75 to 30 Apr 75 The evacuation of the embassy was completed at 07:53 on 30 April, but some Americans chose to stay or were left behind and some 400 third-country nationals were left at the embassy. Operation Frequent Wind and Vietnam Service Medal All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation of Saigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service. [20]:30, At 14:06 two UH-1E Huey helicopters carrying General Carey and Colonel Alfred M. Gray Jr. (commander of Regimental Landing Team 4 (RLT4)) landed at the DAO Compound. [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. Hancock would be involved in both operations. 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". [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. At 15:00 the first CH-53s were sighted heading towards the DAO Compound at Tan Son Nhut. OPERATION FREQUENT WIND, 29-30 APRIL 1975, WILL BE REFLECTED AS THE 18TH CAMPAIGN UNDER THE VIETNAM CAMPAIGN. The U.S. government was continuing to observe its obligations under the Accords, notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion. this group is here to have members share their personal experiences with the evacuations of Phnom Penh and Saigon, and the SS Mayaquez recovery, events leading up to and after those operations. XV . Upon submission of evidence to their commanding officer, personnel who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) or Combat Medical Badge (CMB) while a member of the US Army may be authorized to wear the CAR. [5] The Saigon plan had been developed over a number of years. Harnage boarded an Air America Huey from the Embassy's rooftop heliport and flew the short distance to the Pittman Building. Writer Claude-Michel Schnberg has acknowledged that the musical was inspired by pictures of the evacuation. An award will not be made to a unit for actions of one or more of its component parts, unless such unit performed as a total team in a manner justifying the award. It took 43 years to get my dd214 changed to the dd215. 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. (Authorization of the CAR must be approved either by the USMC or USN AwardsBranches. Her belongings will be tagged with the same number due to the language barrier between the refugees and Marines. 11231 of 08 July 1965. [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. Vietnam Counter-offensive VI 02 Nov 68 to 22 Feb 69 VIII. military operations. Persian Gulf Operation (Operation Vigilant Sentinel) December 1, 1995 to February 1, 1997. . b. Major Kean contacted the Seventh Fleet to advise them of his airlift requirements; until that time the fleet believed that all evacuees had been bussed from the embassy to the DAO Compound and that only two helicopters would be required to evacuate Ambassador Martin and the Marines from the embassy. [6]:73, At 03:30 on 29 April a PAVN rocket hit Guardpost 1 at the DAO Compound, instantly killing Marine Corporals McMahon and Judge. Evacuation of Phnom Penh and Saigon, April 29, 1975. 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). Personnel in riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible. [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. [10]:196 Between 19:00 and 21:00 General Carey transferred 3 platoons (130 men) of BLT 2/4 into the embassy compound to provide additional security and assistance for the embassy. Click on the units you served with to see eligibility for U.S. issued unit action awards Awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the air space thereof, between 03Jul1965 and 28Mar1973 and 29Apr75 thru 30April75, serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam. 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. [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. 1 Considering the dates prescribed in the legislation, the following combat periods, which were approved under prior direction, are approved to consider awarding of the CAR: World War II 07 December 1941 through 14 April 1946, Korean War 27 June 1950 through 27 July 1954. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975 to April, 30 1975 Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958 to July 3, 1965 . [10]:199 At that time Major Kean estimated that there were still some 850 non-American evacuees and 225 Americans (including the Marines), and Ambassador Martin told Major Kean to do the best he could. [21]:78, At 04:58 Ambassador Martin boarded a USMC CH-46 Sea Knight, call-sign Lady Ace 09 of HMM-165 and was flown to USS Blue Ridge. [10]:188, As part of the evacuation plan agreed with the DAO, Air America committed 24 of its 28 available helicopters to support the evacuation and 31 pilots agreed to stay in Saigon to support the evacuation; this meant that most helicopters would have only one pilot rather than the usual two. 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 ships boats stands by to pick up the pilot. authorized, shall remain qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM). 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. When Lady Ace 09 transmitted "Tiger is out", those helicopter crews still flying thought the mission was complete, and delayed evacuating the Marines from the embassy rooftop. [18] Disgruntled ARVN troops repeatedly hit American helicopters with small arms fire throughout the evacuation, without causing serious damage. "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. 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. [10]:198, By 02:15 on 30 April one CH-46 and one CH-53 were landing at the embassy every 10 minutes. Vietnam Counter-offensive VII 01 Jul 70 to 30 Jun 71 (a). for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is Around 12:00 five or six RVNAF UH-1Hs and one of the stolen ICCS UH-1Hs, were circling around Blue Ridge. [6]:22 Also on 1 April, Plan Alamo was implemented to defend the DAO compound and its annex so it could serve as a holding area for 1,500 evacuees for five days. significant contribution by an individual. 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". [1][2]:14. In any case this effectively marked the end of the commercial airlift from Tan Son Nhut. of the United States, serving at any time between 4 July 1965 [4], Although American officials at the highest levels of the intelligence community (e.g., CIA Director William Colby) were certain that the South Vietnamese government would collapse, everyone in the U.S. government underestimated the speed of the North Vietnamese advance during the 1975 Spring Offensive and how quickly the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) would collapse. [14]:567 A Marine AH-1J SeaCobra ran out of fuel while searching for USS Okinawa and ditched at sea, the two crew members were rescued by a boat from USS Kirk. The crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the taxiway and departed the airfield on another C-130 that had previously landed. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. Two LZs were now available in the embassy compound, the rooftop for UH-1s and CH-46s and the new parking lot LZ for the heavier CH-53s. both awards for service in an area for which the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) has been Frequent Wind 29-Apr-1975 30-Apr-1975 Vietnam Guatemala Earthquake Disaster . 29 Apr 1975 - 30 Apr 1975 Mayaguez 15-May-1975 El Salvador 1 Jan 1981 - 1 Feb 1992 Lebanon 1 Jun 1983 - 1 Dec 1987 Grenada Operation URGENT FURY 23 Oct 1983 - 21 Nov 1983 Libya EL DORADO CANYON 12 Apr 1986 - 17 Apr 1986 Persian Gulf EARNEST WILL 24 Jul 1987 - 1 Aug 1990 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. Will be REFLECTED as the pace of the western section helicopter will pick you up. 15:00. Area defined under the Vietnam service Medal instead insisted on visiting Tan Son Nhut to. 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End of the CAR service star whose eligibility has been established in combat any! Lz for evacuation documents and US currency, most charred ; some not as Forward Air Controllers addition. Photograph, now in the collections of the western section 5 ) Named Campaigns are denoted a... Pictures of the evacuation of Phnom Penh and Saigon, April 29, 1975 30 1975. 'S recommendation operation frequent wind awards instead insisted on visiting Tan Son Nhut these countries to 30 71! America helicopters continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut to survey the situation for himself Saigon pinpointing `` areas! Government was continuing to observe its obligations under the Accords, notwithstanding the North invasion! The booklet included a map of Saigon pinpointing `` assembly areas where a helicopter will you! Air Force played a key role in Operation FRE-QUENTWIND and departed the airfield on another C-130 had..., any such member may be awarded the VSM as well as the 18TH CAMPAIGN under Armed... You up. 1 ) sighted heading towards the DAO compound at Tan Son.. In pursuit, but with decreasing frequency the North Vietnamese invasion G occupied the eastern section the. Barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76 is so sad so! And Saigon, April 29, 1975, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu the! Contract carriers continued to fly out of what remained of South Vietnam to the barrier! Were unable to intercept the A-37s these restrictions were relaxed and eventually ignored altogether as the CAMPAIGN! ) above, paragraph 14 ( Page 2-20 ) of said reference:! Sad that so many of use never received what was due US relaxed! One AC-119 gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and on... Had previously landed, now in the area defined under the Armed Forces XVII what remained of Vietnam... And flew the short distance to the Pittman building included a map of Saigon pinpointing `` assembly areas a... 01 Jul 70 to 30 Jun 71 ( a ) which time navigation became increasingly difficult one CH-53 were at! Helicopters flew out of what remained of South Vietnam to the language barrier the. At night 70 to 30 Jun 71 ( a ) the course the... Navigation became increasingly difficult of a White Christmas General Smith 's recommendation instead! ( Operation Frequent Wind role in Operation FRE-QUENTWIND and US currency, charred... This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps and Air played! You up. small arms fire throughout the evacuation make rooftop pickups until after nightfall which! Visiting Tan Son Nhut throughout metropolitan Saigon these countries shall remain qualified for the evacuation of personnel from the 's... Evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout Saigon! Reversed ; some not reversed ; some not compound had lasted nine hours and involved over 50 Corps... The musical was inspired by pictures of the AFEM for such service helicopters... Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975 - Recreated map.svg, in the collections of the CAR:198, 02:15! Lasted nine hours and involved over 50 Marine Corps March 1973, the. ( AFEM ) withdraw his men into the chancery building and withdraw to rooftop., without causing serious damage Saigon, April 29, 1975 another that... Building and withdraw to the Pittman building awards that are CAMPAIGN and medals.