It took 43 years to get my dd214 changed to the dd215. [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. Such certification Op's Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal Ensure that your VA disability claim file denotes these awards. [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. On 28 April, Tan Son Nhut Air Base (next to the airport) came under artillery fire and attack from Vietnamese People's Air Force aircraft. [4], Evacuation plans are standard for American embassies. [6]:92, The evacuation proceeded without interference from the PAVN. [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. [36][37] The building in the photo was the Pittman Apartment building at 22 Gia Long Street (now 22 L T Trng Street), which was used as a residence by various embassy, CIA, and USAID employees. 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 . 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. The fixed-wing evacuation was terminated and Operation Frequent Wind began. [7], By 1975, the Frequent Wind plan aimed to evacuate about 8,000 U.S. citizens and third-country nationals, but it was never able to estimate the number of South Vietnamese to include. Commander Task Force 76 received the order to execute Operation Frequent Wind (initially Talon Vise), the evacuation of U.S. personnel and Vietnamese who might suffer as a result of their past service to the Allied effort. The crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the taxiway and departed the airfield on another C-130 that had previously landed. [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. Personnel assigned to areas subjected to sustained mortar, missile, and artillery attacks actively participate in retaliatory or offensive actions are eligible. [10]:178 In late April, the MSG Marines were ordered to abandon Marshall Hall/Marine House, their billet at 204 Hong Thap Tu Street (now 204 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street), and move into the recreation area in the embassy compound. Ships and units 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. [18] Disgruntled ARVN troops repeatedly hit American helicopters with small arms fire throughout the evacuation, without causing serious damage. authorized for wear on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of VIII. 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. operations. Frequent Wind The system worked so efficiently that the buses were able to make three return journeys rather than the expected one. [10]:197 At 23:40 Marines destroyed the satellite terminal, the DAO Compound's last means of direct communication with the outside world. 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. Only one award per operation is authorized. 127-GVB-279-A150894: Operation Frequent Wind. 21st SOS Frequent Wind and Mayaguez Incident gallery, Video clip: Footage of evacuation operations underway aboard USS Midway, including historic Cessna O-1 landing by VNAF pilot Major Buang, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Frequent_Wind&oldid=1131016156, Option 1: Evacuation by commercial airlift from, Option 2: Evacuation by military airlift from Tan Son Nhut and other South Vietnamese airports as required, Option 3: Evacuation by sea lift from Saigon port, Option 4: Evacuation by helicopter to US Navy ships in the, This page was last edited on 2 January 2023, at 03:59. 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. [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. 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. Chief of Naval Operations [2]:92. [1][2]:14. eligible for the award. Click on the units you served with to see eligibility for U.S. issued unit action awards XII. 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". Please rescue me. [34] The USS Midway is a museum ship in San Diego. [10]:189, The first wave of 12 CH-53s from HMH-462 loaded with BLT 2/4's command groups "Alpha" and "Bravo", and Company F and reinforced Company H arrived in the DAO Compound at 15:06 and the marines quickly moved to reinforce the perimeter defenses. I was present as a Marine attached to the USS Denver during Operation Frequent Wind during April and part of May in 1975. Hugh van Es believed that Miss Saigon misappropriated his photo and considered legal action against the show, but decided against it. Click on unit logos above for eligibility. [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. [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. Most of the Marines were inside the chancery when the crowds outside the embassy broke through the gates into the compound. Actual participation as a crew This office can identify awards earned by Navy units. 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]:8587, In preparation for the evacuation, the American Embassy had distributed a 15-page booklet called SAFE, short for "Standard Instruction and Advice to Civilians in an Emergency." By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. Vietnam Counter-offensive V 01 Jul 68 to 01 Nov 68 (c). Operation FREQUENT WIND - 29 April - 30 April 1975. [6]:69 Armed guards were also present on each flight to prevent hijacking. [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. [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. 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. participation in Operation FREQUENT WIND, during the period 29 In addition, a flotilla of Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships were assembled and these carried out seaborne evacuations from Saigon Port, this fleet comprised: On 28 April at 18:06, three A-37 Dragonflies piloted by former RVNAF pilots, who had defected to the Vietnamese People's Air Force at the fall of Da Nang, dropped six Mk81 250lb bombs on Tan Son Nhut Air Base destroying several aircraft. [27] Forty-nine Americans, including dependents, were also left behind or chose to remain in Saigon. Also automatically authorized is the Humanitarian ServiceMedal. Aircraft flying air cover for the evacuation reported being tracked with surface to air radar in the vicinity of Bin Ha Air Base (which had fallen to the PAVN on 25 April), but there were no missile launches. ), 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.) When the evacuation is ordered, the code will be read out on Armed Forces Radio. [16] Japanese journalists, concerned that they would not recognize the tune, had to get someone to sing it to them. Shown: A Vietnamese woman, carrying her son, is given a numbered tag as she arrives onboard USS Hancock (CV-19). Strategic Air Command KC-135 tankers provided air-to-air refueling. [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. In any case this effectively marked the end of the commercial airlift from Tan Son Nhut. RVNAF Huey is pushed overboard from USS Midway. 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. [10]:188, In the event that the PAVN or ARVN shot down a helicopter or a mechanical malfunction forced one to make an emergency landing in hostile territory, two orbiting CH-46s of MAG-39 each carrying 15-man, quick-reaction "Sparrow Hawk" teams of Marines from 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, from USS Blue Ridge, were ready to land and provide security enabling a search and rescue helicopter to pick up the crew. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. to 30 April 1975, may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such It's a laundry ship". 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). [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] Originally codenamed "Talon Vise", the operation was renamed "Frequent Wind" when the original codename was compromised. 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. (a) Shore Duty. This helicopter was one of 15 which landed on board USS Blue Ridge with Vietnamese military personnel and families during the evacuation. NHHC Photograph Collection, Navy Subject Files. The table below lists approved operations for award of the HSM. 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. 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. 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. His helicopter turned and hit the side of Blue Ridge before hitting the sea. (Operation Eagle Pull) April 11-13, 1975 Congo July 14, 1960 to September 1, 1962 and . No medal is authorized for this citation. Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart WOULD NOT necessarily qualify for the CAR. 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. 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. 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. 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 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).

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