However, no person shall be entitled to both awards for service in an area for which the VSM has been authorized. Description. Vietnam Counter-offensive 25 Dec 65 to 30 Jun 66 [5] The Saigon plan had been developed over a number of years. [6] Originally codenamed "Talon Vise", the operation was renamed "Frequent Wind" when the original codename was compromised. Moments later a RVNAF UH-1H attempted to land on the helipad, locked rotors with the Air America Bell, almost pushing it overboard. consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, except that the time [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. Authorization. Many pilots fled to Hancock, seeking refuge for themselves, family and friends during the evacuation. [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. Click on the units you served with to see eligibility for U.S. issued unit action awards Many medals are awarded for non-combat operations. One AC-119 gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and firing on the approaching PAVN. Do not disclose to other personnel. 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. 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). 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. (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. Companies E and F respectively occupied the northern and southern sections between the DAO headquarters and the DAO Annex. 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. [6]:44 Finally, on 19 April, a simple procedure was implemented that cleared up the paperwork jam and the number of evacuees dramatically increased. [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. 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. instances where the local commander certifies a particular and Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. XII. These altitudes were also high enough to avoid small arms and artillery fire. (a). ships or units, and who actually participated in the given [6]:79 Between 04:30 and 08:00 up to 40 artillery rounds and rockets hit around the DAO Compound. 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). Operation FREQUENT WIND - 29 April - 30 April 1975. DIVE! The table below lists approved operations for award of the HSM. [6]:67 Also on 25 April the Federal Aviation Administration banned commercial flights into South Vietnam. [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. (d) Public Law 107-314 of 2 December 2002 [6]:34 American commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut, but with decreasing frequency. [21]:7 At 03:27 President Gerald Ford ordered that no more than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation. [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. should be submitted to CNO/CMC, via the commander who exercised Click on red bar for more info. 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. XIV. [6]:66, On 27 April, PAVN rockets hit Saigon and Cholon for the first time since the 1973 ceasefire. (b) Vietnam Service Medal is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces NHHC Photograph Collection, Navy Subject Files. [6]:69 Armed guards were also present on each flight to prevent hijacking. eligible for the medal. Evacuation plans already existed as a standard procedure for American embassies. 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. 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. [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. By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. 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. VIII. Vietnam Counter-offensive VI 02 Nov 68 to 22 Feb 69 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. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975 to April, 30 1975 Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958 to July 3, 1965 . 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. (e). Vietnam Counter-offensive VII 01 Jul 70 to 30 Jun 71 Click on unit logos above for eligibility. for the award; however, consideration will be given in those Her belongings will be tagged with the same number due to the language barrier between the refugees and Marines. In addition, Air America helicopters and RVNAF aircraft brought additional evacuees to the TF76 ships. 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. Please check our Hours of Operation page before planning your visit. MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. 111. E.O. [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. Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. Service for 30 Frequent Wind Click on unit logos above for eligibility. 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. X. Tet 69 Counter-offensive 23 Feb 69 to 08 Jun 69 Many of the Vietnamese evacuees were allowed to enter the United States under the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act. There was an insert page which read: "Note evacuational signal. 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. 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. [21]:7, Major Kean returned to the ground floor of the chancery and ordered his men to withdraw into a large semicircle at the main entrance to the chancery. [2]:92. [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. The crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the taxiway and departed the airfield on another C-130 that had previously landed. authorized. Note: 127-GVB-279-A150966: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. [1][2]:14. A. Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart WOULD NOT necessarily qualify for the CAR. 11231 of 08 July 1965. 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. 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. On 2 May, Task Force 76, carrying the Operation Frequent Wind evacuees and 44,000 seaborne evacuees and the RVN Navy group set sail for reception centers in the Philippines and Guam.[8]. [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. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. [41][42], The operation was the subject of the 2014 PBS documentary Last Days in Vietnam.[43]. 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. 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. However, no person shall be entitled to [25][26] The South Korean civilians were evacuated in 1976, while General Rhee and two other diplomats were held captive until April 1980. Guide to the Khanh Van Thi Nguyen Narrative on Operation Frequent Wind. echelons, transients, observers, and personnel assigned for The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. IX. 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. Tet Counter-offensive 30 Jan 68 to 01 Apr 68 11. Major Kean advised that the LZ would be well lit and had vehicles moved around the parking lot LZ with their engines running and headlights on to illuminate the LZ. 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. The U.S. government was continuing to observe its obligations under the Accords, notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion. 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. Vietnam, Summer-Fall 1969 09 Jun 69 to 31 Oct 69 [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. VII .Vietnam Counter-offensive IV 02 Apr 68 to 30 Jun 68 The four crew members estimated they received more than 500 rounds of 23-mm, 37-mm, and 57-mm fire in the space of one minute. Operation Firebreak 5-Sep-1987 15-Sep-1987 United States Operation Pocket Planner (Note 1) 1-Nov-1987 1-Nov-1987 The airlift resulted in a number of enduring images. On the afternoon of 30 April, TF-76 moved away from the coast, picking up more refugees as they went. [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. [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. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon. present in the area merely for training purposes are not The following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. approved. Operations. This office can identify awards earned by Navy units. [20]:2728 The scene was famously captured on film by Hubert van Es. XVII . Air America helicopters continued to make rooftop pickups until after nightfall by which time navigation became increasingly difficult. [6]:24 On 4 April, a C-5A aircraft carrying 250 Vietnamese orphans and their escorts suffered explosive decompression over the sea near Vng Tu and made a crash-landing while attempting to return to Tan Son Nhut; 153 people on board died in the crash. It took 43 years to get my dd214 changed to the dd215. [20]:21 At some point during the morning RVNAF personnel took five ICCS UH-1H Hueys and one Air America Bell 204 from the Air America ramp. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the. 127-GVB-279-A150894: Operation Frequent Wind. At the beginning of March, fixed-wing aircraft began evacuating civilians from Tan Son Nhat Airport through neighboring countries. [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. [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. 2. Vietnam FREQUENT WIND - Evacuation. [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. 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. 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. [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. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. The cause of the crash was never determined. 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