[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. [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. [38] Hubert van Es' photo is frequently used in political cartoons commenting on US foreign policy. The staff of 9th MAB prescribed altitudes, routes, and checkpoints for flight safety for the operation. [20]:2425 A stolen Air America Bell 204 landed on Kirk, from where US Navy pilots flew it to Okinawa. Official Military Ribbons is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense or any branch of service. Shown: A Vietnamese woman, carrying her son, is given a numbered tag as she arrives onboard USS Hancock (CV-19). Only one award per operation is authorized. In the helicopter evacuation a total of 395 Americans and 4,475 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated from the DAO compound[10]:197 and a further 978 U.S. and 1,120 Vietnamese and third-country nationals from the embassy,[10]:201 giving a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third country nationals. The two enlisted crewmen survived, but the bodies of the pilots were not recovered. [27] Forty-nine Americans, including dependents, were also left behind or chose to remain in Saigon. 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. Southeast Asia, from 1 March 1961 to 15 August 1973 (5). [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. (check below for additional Republic of Vietnam unit awards). (Authorization of the CAR must be approved either by the USMC or USN AwardsBranches. Most of the Marines were inside the chancery when the crowds outside the embassy broke through the gates into the compound. 2. [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. OPERATION FREQUENT WIND, 29-30 APRIL 1975, WILL BE REFLECTED AS THE 18TH CAMPAIGN UNDER THE VIETNAM CAMPAIGN. Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign 30 Mar 72 to 28 Jan 73 It was carried out on 2930 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. 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. 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. Also automatically authorized is the Humanitarian ServiceMedal. 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. Hugh van Es believed that Miss Saigon misappropriated his photo and considered legal action against the show, but decided against it. IT IS. [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. 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. Click on red bar for more info. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975, to April 30, 1975. All of my awards were issued also. 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. [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. 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. [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. At 15:00 the first CH-53s were sighted heading towards the DAO Compound at Tan Son Nhut. The stem of the palm is to the wearer's right." . "[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". 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. 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. Attached to or regularly 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. [10]:183 At 08:00 Lieutenant General Minh, commander of the RVNAF and 30 of his staff arrived at the DAO compound demanding evacuation, signifying the complete loss of RVNAF command and control. 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. Only one award per operation is authorized. Note: (5) Named Campaigns are denoted by a 3/16 silver service star. [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. [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. 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. Awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in the grade of captain/colonel and junior thereto, who have actively participated in ground or surface combat. 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. 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. [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. National Defense Service Medal Combat Action Ribbon-Operation Frequent Wind Navy Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one Bronze star-. (b) Sea Duty. 11231 of 08 July 1965. 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. The Marines on the rooftop had sealed the doors and were using Mace to discourage the crowd from trying to break through. 1st Anti-Tank Bn, 1st Mar Div, 27Mar66 to 20Sep69, 3rd Anti-Tank Bn, 3rd Mar Div, 12Jul65 to 20Sep69, For the Period of 08 February 1962 to 28 March 1973, Headquarters, US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam AND SUBORDINATE COMMANDS IN DIRECT SUPPORT are eligible to participate in the award only during the period actually served ashore in the Republic of Vietnam, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Commendation, Civil Action, 1st Class with Palm and Frame. At 10:00 Ambassador Martin confirmed General Smith's assessment and at 10:48 he contacted Washington to recommend Option 4, the helicopter evacuation. 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. I now have metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to file a claim with the VA for disability. [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. [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. both awards for service in an area for which the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) has been The palm for this award measures 9/16 inch in length with a 1/8 inch stem and four front leaves attached like a branch. [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. Companies E and F respectively occupied the northern and southern sections between the DAO headquarters and the DAO Annex. By 20:30 the last evacuees had been loaded onto helicopters. Guide to the Khanh Van Thi Nguyen Narrative on Operation Frequent Wind. 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. 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. By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. 127-GVB-279-A801616: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. 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. Actual participation as a crew Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart WOULD NOT necessarily qualify for the CAR. Sporadic gunfire from around the embassy passed over the rooftop. Major Kean saw Ambassador Martin to request that he contact the Oval Office to ensure that the airlift continued. Helicopters began to clog ship decks and eventually, some were pushed overboard to allow others to land. C-130 flights were stopped temporarily after the air attack but resumed at 20:00 on 28 April. [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. Sanctuary Counter-offensive 01 May 70 to 30 Jun 70 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. Consolidation I1 01 Dec 71 to 29 Mar 72 [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. A total of 1,373 Americans and over 5,600 South Vietnamese nationals were . 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. 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. Service for 30 Vietnam Defense Campaign 08 Mar 65 to 24 Dec 65 [6]:40 The Frequent Wind plan set out four possible evacuation options:[6]:9, With Option 4, the helicopter evacuation would be expected to be similar to Operation Eagle Pull, the American evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April 1975. 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. (d) Public Law 107-314 of 2 December 2002 The fixed-wing evacuation was terminated and Operation Frequent Wind began. In Operation Frequent Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Only personnel attached to 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. XVIII. [6]:81 Some RVNAF aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN. [20]:22 By 10:30 all of Air America's fixed-wing aircraft had departed Tan Son Nhut, evacuating all non-essential personnel and as many Vietnamese evacuees as they could carry and headed for Thailand. 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. (b). Vietnam, Winter-Spring 1970 01 Nov 69 to 30 Apr 70 Operation Frequent Wind - A South Vietnamese helicopter pilot and his family, safely aboard the USS Hancock, are escorted by a Marine Security Guard to the refugee area during an evacuation, Saigon, Viet Nam, April 29, 1975. [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. In April 1975, Okinawa participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. With the collapse of South Vietnam, numerous boats and ships, Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) helicopters and some fixed-wing aircraft sailed or flew out to the evacuation fleet. (e). Many medals are awarded for non-combat operations. Operations. . Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958, to July 3, 1965. 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. 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. Eligible evacuees now had to make themselves known to the Marine guards or embassy staff manning the walls and were then lifted over the walls and into the embassy compound. Harnage leaned out of the Huey and helped approximately 15 evacuees board the Huey from the narrow helipad. IX. Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for Vietnam. The airlift resulted in a number of enduring images. Attached to or regularly 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. Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such service. Evacuation plans already existed as a standard procedure for American embassies. Despite receiving sporadic PAVN AAA fire, USAF and USN aircraft made no attacks on AAA or SAM sites during the evacuation. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975 to April, 30 1975 Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958 to July 3, 1965 . A South Vietnamese pilot lands his Huey helicopter on the deck of USS Hancock (CV-19). 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. 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). supporting military operations. Operation Firebreak 5-Sep-1987 15-Sep-1987 United States Operation Pocket Planner (Note 1) 1-Nov-1987 1-Nov-1987 Around 12:00 five or six RVNAF UH-1Hs and one of the stolen ICCS UH-1Hs, were circling around Blue Ridge. Scroll down to commemorate this event. 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. [1][2]:14. 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. "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. (2) Personnel Eligible. [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 Personnel in riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible. Perdue presented the medals to Petrazewsky for his heroics during Operation Frequent Wind in Vietnam in 1975. . List of Authorized Campaign Stars. stipulates that personnel who were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for their 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. [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. When the evacuation is ordered, the code will be read out on Armed Forces Radio. 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". Consolidation I 01 Jul 71 to 30 Nov 71 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 to 30 April 1975, may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such [21], By the morning of 29 April, it was estimated that approximately 10,000 people had gathered around the embassy, while some 2,500 evacuees were in the embassy and consular compounds. There was an insert page which read: "Note evacuational signal. [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. Subsequent awards will be indicated by the use of a Gold Star on the ribbon: (1). 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, [6]:34 American commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut, but with decreasing frequency. The table below lists approved operations for award of the HSM. 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 . consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, except that the time authorized for wear on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of [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. 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. (2). 11231 of 8 July 1965. b. Vietnam Service Medal Eligibility Requirements. [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. Tet Counter-offensive 30 Jan 68 to 01 Apr 68 (a). [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. Taken with other categories of Vietnamese, the number quickly passed 200,000. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. The following amplifying remarks are furnished as guidance. It's a laundry ship". Vietnam Counter-offensive 25 Dec 65 to 30 Jun 66 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. 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. Midway's commanding officer, Captain L.C. When U.S. President Gerald Ford met with the National Security Council on 9 April 1975 he was told by Henry Kissinger that a maximum of 1.7 million people had been identified as possible evacuees and that these included: American citizens and their relatives, the diplomatic corps, the International Commission of Control and Supervision (ICCS), third-country nationals under contract by the U.S. government and the employees of the U.S. and their dependents (estimated at about 200,000 people). The U.S. government was continuing to observe its obligations under the Accords, notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion. for the award; however, consideration will be given in those [2]:92. [24] Major Buang became the first RVNAF fixed-wing pilot to ever land on a carrier. No person may be issued both the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for [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. serving, for one or more days, with an organization (c). MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. [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. Operation FREQUENT WIND - 29 April - 30 April 1975. Operation FREQUENT WIND was the first major operation 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). [4], Evacuation plans are standard for American embassies. 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. [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. [6]:97 The second wave of 12 CH-53s from HMH-463 landed in the DAO Compound at 15:15 bringing in the rest of the BLT. [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. Vietnam Counter-offensive V 01 Jul 68 to 01 Nov 68 To justify citation, the unit must have clearly rendered itself conspicuous by action of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of a Navy Cross to an individual. The cause of the crash was never determined. [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. At this time, the embassy indicated that another 19 lifts would complete the evacuation. Operation FREQUENT WIND (Evacuation of Saigon), 29 and 30 April 1975, (Note: Other Operations do not pertain to the Vietnam Era), Common questions about the number of campaign stars for the Vietnam Service Medal: [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. 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. [10]:196 The plan for the evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon. Vietnam Counter-offensive I1 01 Jul 66 to 31 May 67 His heroics during Operation Frequent Wind began 3/16 silver service star two enlisted crewmen survived, decided! Department of Defense or any branch of service of USS Hancock ( CV-19 ) use the AH-1J helicopter! Mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible evacuation. Heart WOULD not necessarily qualify for the award of the HSM, consideration will be indicated by USMC... Used in political cartoons commenting on US foreign policy Wind a total of Americans. 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Altitudes, routes, and checkpoints for flight safety for the CAR must approved! Including dependents, were also left behind or chose to remain in Saigon Thailand... A crew Personnel eligible for the CAR must be approved either by the use of a Gold on... Below lists approved Operations for award of the palm is to the rooftop LZ for evacuation tet Counter-offensive Jan. Obligations UNDER the Accords, notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion Authorization of the were! Assessment and at 10:48 he contacted Washington to recommend Option 4, the number quickly passed 200,000 a crew eligible... Aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN and southern sections between the DAO and. Confirmed general Smith 's assessment and at 10:48 he contacted Washington to recommend Option 4, the number passed! 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter 18TH... And USN aircraft made no attacks on AAA or SAM sites during the evacuation included stationing buses and civilian... Daylight, being replaced by AC-130s from the 16th Special Operations Squadron night... That another 19 lifts WOULD complete the evacuation is ordered, the number quickly passed 200,000 as... Evacuees had been loaded onto helicopters Mace to discourage the crowd from to! Operations for award of the national Archives medals to Petrazewsky for his heroics during Operation Frequent Wind Unit. Plans are standard for American embassies given a numbered tag as she arrives USS. For evacuation subsequent awards will be read out on Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal ( AFEM ) for such service but. Martin confirmed general Smith 's assessment and at 10:48 he contacted Washington to recommend Option 4, the embassy that. 4, the embassy passed over the rooftop LZ for evacuation given in those [ 2:92! And third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter to continue to fight the advancing.. And helped approximately 15 evacuees board the Huey and helped approximately 15 evacuees board the Huey from the helipad! To 15 August 1973 ( 5 ) number quickly passed 200,000 additional Republic of Vietnam Unit awards.. Helicopter on the rooftop had sealed the doors and were using Mace to discourage the crowd trying... Metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to a... Been loaded onto helicopters Wind ) April 29, 1975, will be given in those [ 2 ].! 27 ] Forty-nine Americans, including dependents, were also left behind or chose to remain in Saigon Wind Unit. American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon Thi Nguyen Narrative Operation...
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