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. [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. [10]:196 The plan for the evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon. Sanctuary Counter-offensive 01 May 70 to 30 Jun 70 Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. RVNAF Huey is pushed overboard from USS Midway. MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. The stem of the palm is to the wearer's right." . 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. International Commission of Control and Supervision, crash-landing while attempting to return to Tan Son Nhut, 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act, US Army Field Manual 90-29: Embassy Emergency Action Plan, "Chapter 5: The Final Curtain, 1973 1975", "Air America: Played a Crucial Part of the Emergency Helicopter Evacuation of Saigon p.1", "Operation Frequent Wind: April 29-30, 1975", "Thomas Polgar, CIA official during the fall of Saigon, dies", "Air America in South Vietnam III: The Collapse", "Major James H, Kean SSN/0802 USMC, After Action Report 17 April-7 May 1975 p. 3", "Last U.S. Marines to leave Saigon describe chaos of Vietnam War's end", "Former South Korean diplomat reconciles with his Vietnamese captors", "Gerald R. Ford's Remarks at the Opening of the Ford Museum's Saigon Staircase Exhibit, Grand Rapids Michigan", "Lady Ace 09 unveiled at aviation museum", "Helicopter evacuating crowd from rooftop", "Photographer who took famous Vietnam War image dies", The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family. [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. Operation FREQUENT WIND - 29 April - 30 April 1975. [5] The Saigon plan had been developed over a number of years. Vietnam Defense Campaign 08 Mar 65 to 24 Dec 65 Vietnam Counter-offensive V 01 Jul 68 to 01 Nov 68 military operations. The evacuation of personnel from the DAO compound had lasted nine hours and involved over 50 Marine Corps and Air Force helicopters. [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 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. 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. XI. eligible for the award. The following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. [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. By 22 April, 20 C-141 and 20 C-130s flights a day were flying evacuees out of Tan Son Nhut to Clark Air Base,[6]:60 some 1,000 miles away in the Philippines. Ten USAFCH-53and HH-53helicopters from the 56th Special Operations Wing and the 40th Aerospace Rescueand Recovery Squadronin Thailand had deployed ear-lier in the monthto the USSMidwayin the South ChinaSea. Operation Frequent Wind concluded more than two decades of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. period for which that ship is eligible. ships or units, and who actually participated in the given echelons, transients, observers, and personnel assigned for authorized, shall remain qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM). 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. [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. [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. [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]: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. c. Engagement Stars. 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. 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. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. By 20:30 the last evacuees had been loaded onto helicopters. The Marines on the rooftop had sealed the doors and were using Mace to discourage the crowd from trying to break through. RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. participation in Operation FREQUENT WIND, during the period 29 [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. [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. 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. List of Authorized Campaign Stars. At the beginning of the operation, pilots in the first wave reported the weather as 2,000 feet (610m) scattered, 20,000 feet (6,100m) overcast with 15 miles (24km) visibility, except in haze over Saigon, where visibility decreased to one mile. I now have metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to file a claim with the VA for disability. 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. eligible for the medal. Around 12:00 five or six RVNAF UH-1Hs and one of the stolen ICCS UH-1Hs, were circling around Blue Ridge. Vietnam Counter-offensive VII 01 Jul 70 to 30 Jun 71 Despite receiving sporadic PAVN AAA fire, USAF and USN aircraft made no attacks on AAA or SAM sites during the evacuation. 127-GVB-279-A150960: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. Then the F-4D was cleared to destroy the 57 mm battery and did so with two CBU-71 and two CBU-58 Cluster bombs, neutralizing the site, 10 miles (16km) northeast of Saigon, without damage to either aircraft. Companies E and F respectively occupied the northern and southern sections between the DAO headquarters and the DAO Annex. The cause of the crash was never determined. Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such service. The USN formed a 48 ship task force to evacuate Americans and other from these countries. 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. "[15] Frank Snepp later recalled the arrival of helicopters at the embassy while the song was playing over the radio as a "bizarre Kafkaesque time". serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam. Vietnam Counter-offensive I1 01 Jul 66 to 31 May 67 127-GVB-279-A801616: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. 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. But these restrictions were relaxed and eventually ignored altogether as the pace of the evacuation quickened. [6]:67 Also on 25 April the Federal Aviation Administration banned commercial flights into South Vietnam. Hancock would be involved in both operations. Date. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. 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]:66, On 27 April, PAVN rockets hit Saigon and Cholon for the first time since the 1973 ceasefire. The staff of 9th MAB prescribed altitudes, routes, and checkpoints for flight safety for the operation. [10]:187, The air wings of USS Enterprise and USS Coral Sea, were ready to provide close air support and anti-aircraft suppression if required with their A-6 and A-7 attack aircraft, and would provide continuous fighter cover the evacuation route including by VF-1 and VF-2, flying from Enterprise with the first combat deployment of the new F-14A Tomcat. It is so sad that so many of use never received what was due us.. Air America helicopters continued to make rooftop pickups until after nightfall by which time navigation became increasingly difficult. 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. The code is: The temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising. [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. 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). Please rescue me. [20]:2425 A stolen Air America Bell 204 landed on Kirk, from where US Navy pilots flew it to Okinawa. the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns: I. Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 Mar 62 to 07 Mar 65 [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. OPERATION FREQUENT WIND, 29-30 APRIL 1975, WILL BE REFLECTED AS THE 18TH CAMPAIGN UNDER THE VIETNAM CAMPAIGN. A 3/16 inch bronze star is 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. It took 43 years to get my dd214 changed to the dd215. [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. 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. Squadrons or units embarked in a ship, [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. Ships and units [4], Evacuation plans are standard for American embassies. 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. Click on unit logos above for eligibility. VIII. The curtain of haze over Saigon so altered the diminished daylight that line of sight visibility was only a mile. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the. No medal is authorized for this citation. 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. 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. [10]:195, At 19:30 General Carey directed that the remaining elements guarding the Annex be withdrawn to DAO headquarters (the Alamo) where the last of the evacuees would await their flight. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. [18] Disgruntled ARVN troops repeatedly hit American helicopters with small arms fire throughout the evacuation, without causing serious damage. 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. Her belongings will be tagged with the same number due to the language barrier between the refugees and Marines. [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. Separately, all USMC and selected land-based USN personnel who participated inOperation Frequent Wind or Operation Eagle Pull are additionally authorized theVietnam Civil Actions Medal along with the Vietnam Service Medal. The Operations were called "Eagle Pull" and "Frequent Wind". Two Marine CH-53 helicopters set down in a parking lot on the north edge of Saigon during the evacuation. [20]:2728 The scene was famously captured on film by Hubert van Es. However, no person shall be entitled to U.S. officials decided to stop using the less maneuverable C-141s, which had been loaded with up to 316 evacuees, and use only C-130s, which had been taking off with more than 240. [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. Major Kean saw Ambassador Martin to request that he contact the Oval Office to ensure that the airlift continued. DIVE! [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. [10]:196 The evacuation from the DAO Compound was completed by about 19:00 after which all helicopters would be routed to the embassy; Major Kean was informed that operations would cease at dark. Harnage leaned out of the Huey and helped approximately 15 evacuees board the Huey from the narrow helipad. 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. [6]:69 Armed guards were also present on each flight to prevent hijacking. The command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) was located approximately 28 km from Vung Tau, Vietnam, at 1500 hrs on 29 April 1975. USS Frederick earned three campaign stars for Vietnam War service and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Operation Frequent Wind or 4 campaign stars for the Vietnam Service Medal if the Armed Forces Medal is exchanged for the 18th Vietnam campaign, Op. Send the form to: Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409, 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 To obtain information about unit awards earned, contact the Chief of Naval Operations, Awards and Special Projects Branch at the address below. At 10:00 Ambassador Martin confirmed General Smith's assessment and at 10:48 he contacted Washington to recommend Option 4, the helicopter evacuation. The operation ended at 0900 on April 30, and by noon that day, Communist flags waved over Saigon's Presidential Palace. The biggest problem occurred when the ARVN unit guarding the main gate at Tan Son Nhut refused to allow the last convoy of buses into the DAO Compound at about 17:45. [21]:67 From the billowing incinerator on the embassy roof floated intelligence documents and US currency, most charred; some not. (d) Public Law 107-314 of 2 December 2002 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). They were evacuated to Bangkok on 1 August 1976. (2) Personnel Eligible. (c) Air Duty. Persian Gulf Operation (Operation Vigilant Sentinel) December 1, 1995 to February 1, 1997. . Hugh van Es believed that Miss Saigon misappropriated his photo and considered legal action against the show, but decided against it. (a) Vietnam Service Medal is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces Consolidation I1 01 Dec 71 to 29 Mar 72 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. On that final day, USAF aircraft flew a total of 1,422 sorties over Saigon. b. They quickly established an austere command post in preparation for the arrival of the Marine CH-53s and the ground security force. [6]:92, The evacuation proceeded without interference from the PAVN. 11231 of 08 July 1965. [6]:81 Some RVNAF aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN. (e). The booklet included a map of Saigon pinpointing "assembly areas where a helicopter will pick you up." 127-GVB-279-A150966: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. I was present as a Marine attached to the USS Denver during Operation Frequent Wind during April and part of May in 1975. 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! 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. Thanks to my daughter for never giving up. service. XVI . [10]:197 At 23:40 Marines destroyed the satellite terminal, the DAO Compound's last means of direct communication with the outside world. The Pittman Building was not an approved LZ, but when the agreed pickup point at the Lee Hotel at 6 Chien Si Circle was declared unusable, CIA Station Chief Tom Polgar asked Oren B. Harnage, Deputy Chief of the Embassy's Air Branch to change the pickup to the Pittman Building, which was the home of the Assistant Station Chief and had an elevator shaft believed capable of supporting the weight of a Huey. [21]:8. 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". significant contribution by an individual. [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. National Defense Service Medal Combat Action Ribbon-Operation Frequent Wind Navy Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one Bronze star-. Attached to or regularly The service medal was awarded to all members of the armed forces who served in Vietnam and contiguous waters and airspace between 01 July 1958 and 28 March 1973. [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. 1988 http://www.amervets.com 16907 Brighton Avenue Gardena CA 90247 1-310-532-0634, Military Personnel Database http://www.amervets.com/library.htmMilitary and Vet Info-Exchange/Discussion Groups http://www.amervets.com/share.htmPublic Information Office http://www.13105320634.com, Either email addresses are anonymous for this group or you need the view member email addresses permission to view the original message, Ops Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal, http://www.amervets.com/replacement/vn.htm#isr, http://www.amervets.com/replacement/hum.htm#isr, http://www.amervets.com/replacement/car.htm#isr. Commendation Armed Forces expeditionary Medal with one Bronze star- Pull & quot ; with! Break through April - 30 April 1975, will be tagged with the VA disability. 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