Thanks to my daughter for never giving up. echelons, transients, observers, and personnel assigned for Evacuation of Phnom Penh and Saigon, April 29, 1975. Members of rear Southeast Asia, from 1 March 1961 to 15 August 1973 (5). 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. Vietnam Counter-offensive 25 Dec 65 to 30 Jun 66 member in one or more aerial flights, directly supporting XII. We also conducted a brief search of the catalog using the terms Operation Frequent Wind, Operation Eagle Pull, and Agent Orange. significant contribution by an individual. The Marines on the rooftop had sealed the doors and were using Mace to discourage the crowd from trying to break through. MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. [10]:196 The plan for the evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon. Once completed, the new defensive perimeter encompassed only LZ 36 and the Alamo. Upon During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. Ambassador Martin refused to accept General Smith's recommendation and instead insisted on visiting Tan Son Nhut to survey the situation for himself. Rather than loading as many evacuees as possible, each evacuee was required to have a seat and a seatbelt, reducing the number of passengers that could be carried on each flight to 94 in a C-141 and 75 in a C-130. eligible for the award. On that final day, USAF aircraft flew a total of 1,422 sorties over Saigon. The U.S. Air Force played a key role in Operation FRE-QUENTWIND. The Marine evacuation contingent, the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade (Task Group 79.1), consisted of three Battalion Landing Teams (BLT); 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4), 1st Battalion 9th Marines (1/9), 3rd Battalion 9th Marines (3/9) and three helicopter squadrons HMH-462, HMH-463, HMM-165 along with other support units from Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39). 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. 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. Operation FREQUENT WIND - 29 April - 30 April 1975. 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. participating in or directly supporting military operations. (2) Personnel Eligible. It has often been misidentified as the US Embassy. I now have metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to file a claim with the VA for disability. short periods or TAD and training duty are normally not eligible the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns: I. Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 Mar 62 to 07 Mar 65 [2]:92. (Operation Eagle Pull) April 11-13, 1975 Congo July 14, 1960 to September 1, 1962 and . (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975, to April 30, 1975. Vietnam Counter-offensive VI 02 Nov 68 to 22 Feb 69 Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. Awarded to all personnel assigned or attached to the following units, during the period shown, are authorized to wear the ribbon bar, Gallantry Medal Color, with Palm and Gold Frame. Shown: A Vietnamese woman, carrying her son, is given a numbered tag as she arrives onboard USS Hancock (CV-19). The operation ended at 0900 on April 30, and by noon that day, Communist flags waved over Saigon's Presidential Palace. [10]:182 This was the last USAF fixed-wing aircraft to leave Tan Son Nhut. The helicopters had to be pushed or ditched into the sea because of the lack of space on deck. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. In any case this effectively marked the end of the commercial airlift from Tan Son Nhut. The medal shall be ,awarded only [10]:197 With the evacuation of the landing control teams from the Annex and Alamo completed, General Carey ordered the withdrawal of the ground security forces from the DAO Compound around 22:50. [6]:8 There were about 17,000 at-risk Vietnamese on embassy rolls, which, using an average of seven dependents per family, meant that the number requiring evacuation was 119,000. [6] Originally codenamed "Talon Vise", the operation was renamed "Frequent Wind" when the original codename was compromised. Planning for the evacuation of the Americans and their South Vietnamese allies from South Vietnam had begun before April 1975. This will be followed by the playing of I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. 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. [6]:121, Midway deck crew surround Major Buang and his family, At the same time as the aerial evacuation, tens of thousands of South Vietnamese fled towards TF-76 aboard junks, sampans, and small craft. application, any such member may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the [5] The Saigon plan had been developed over a number of years. Hancock was lovingly called Hanna and Fightin' Hanna by the crew. [6]:34 American commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut, but with decreasing frequency. Many pilots fled to Hancock, seeking refuge for themselves, family and friends during the evacuation. The cause of the crash was never determined. Many medals are awarded for non-combat operations. Ambassador Martin soon sent word back to Major Kean that sorties would continue to be flown. 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. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. [6]:67 Also on 25 April the Federal Aviation Administration banned commercial flights into South Vietnam. Scroll down to commemorate this event. service. But these restrictions were relaxed and eventually ignored altogether as the pace of the evacuation quickened. RVNAF pilot jumps from his Huey after dropping evacuees on USS Midway, One of the more notable events occurred on Midway when the pilot of an RVNAF Cessna O-1 dropped a note on the deck of the carrier. Helicopters began to clog ship decks and eventually, some were pushed overboard to allow others to land. (c). 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. operation, are eligible for the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). We located a number of references to photographs and documents primarily held by our colleagues at the National Archives at College Park, MD related to these subjects. [10]:201, During the demolition of the embassy, the metal staircase leading from the rooftop to the helipad was removed and sent back to the United States, where it is now on display at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Refugees arrive aboard USS Midway.29 April 1975. bdpopeye Mi Field Marshall MI.Net Member TAARB Joined Jul 12, 2006 To justify this award, the unit must have performed service as a unit of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of the Silver Star Medal or a Legion of Merit to an individual. Eventually the ARVN commander controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound. [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. [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. 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. Taken with other categories of Vietnamese, the number quickly passed 200,000. VII .Vietnam Counter-offensive IV 02 Apr 68 to 30 Jun 68 The following amplifying remarks are furnished as guidance. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the. [16] Japanese journalists, concerned that they would not recognize the tune, had to get someone to sing it to them. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. [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. Op's Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal Ensure that your VA disability claim file denotes these awards. consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, except that the time The following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. [6]:37 President Ford, in an address to the American public on 11 April, promised to evacuate Vietnamese civilians of various categories. 11231 of 08 July 1965. (b) Sea Duty. [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. Chief of Naval Operations each carrying Marine, and Air Force (eight 21st Special Operations Squadron CH-53s and two 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron HH-53s[11]) helicopters. At this time, the embassy indicated that another 19 lifts would complete the evacuation. Please rescue me. In Operation Frequent Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter. 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. It immediately turned toward the threatening radar and fifteen to twenty anti-aircraft weapons opened up on it and the F-4D. Shipmates would fight for that ship. [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. Only one award per operation is authorized. for the award; however, consideration will be given in those 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. present in the area merely for training purposes are not [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. X. Tet 69 Counter-offensive 23 Feb 69 to 08 Jun 69 [10]:179181, It was not known whether the PAVN and/or the ARVN would try to disrupt the evacuation and so the planners had to take all possible contingencies into account to ensure the safety and success of the evacuation. [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. Lady Ace 09, CH-46 serial number 154803, is now on display at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in San Diego, California. [14]:30, At 17:00 the first CH-46 landed at the embassy. Operations. [6]:69 Armed guards were also present on each flight to prevent hijacking. [21]:6 At 21:30 a CH-53 pilot informed Major Kean that Admiral Whitmire, Commander of Task Force 76 had ordered that operations would cease at 23:00. [30], For an operation of the size and complexity of Frequent Wind, casualties were relatively light. 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 helicopter was one of 15 which landed on board USS Blue Ridge with Vietnamese military personnel and families during the evacuation. Do not disclose to other personnel. [20]:2728 The scene was famously captured on film by Hubert van Es. Operation Frequent Wind was the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam prior to the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese Army It was carried out on 29-30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. In addition, two CH-46s would provide medical evacuation capabilities while AH-1J SeaCobras would fly cover for the transport helicopters and for any ground units who requested support. [20]:2224 According to US Naval Archives, at 12:30 an Air America Bell 205 landed Air Vice Marshal Nguyn Cao K, Madame K, Dorothy Martin (wife of Ambassador Martin) and others on USS Denver; however, contemporary reports state and photos show that Marshal K piloted his own UH-1H Huey to USS Midway. service in Vietnam, and no person shall be entitled to more than approved. No person may be issued both the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for 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. Perdue presented the medals to Petrazewsky for his heroics during Operation Frequent Wind in Vietnam in 1975. . [3]:258 The total number of Vietnamese evacuated by Frequent Wind or self-evacuated and ending up in the custody of the United States for processing as refugees to enter the United States totalled 138,869. [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. The staff of 9th MAB prescribed altitudes, routes, and checkpoints for flight safety for the operation. 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. The principal eligibility criterion is that the individual must have participated in a bona fide ground or surface combat fire fight or action during which he or she was under enemy fire AND his/her performance while under fire was satisfactory. RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. XI. [20]:2425 A stolen Air America Bell 204 landed on Kirk, from where US Navy pilots flew it to Okinawa. Tens of thousands of Vietnamese evacuated themselves by sea or air. The buses would follow one of four planned evacuation routes from downtown Saigon to the DAO Compound, each route named after a Western Trail: Santa Fe, Oregon, Texas, etc. ), 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.) XV . [21]:67 From the billowing incinerator on the embassy roof floated intelligence documents and US currency, most charred; some not. 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