XIII. [21]:8. 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. To avert mid-air collisions, the planners chose altitudes which would provide separation of traffic and also a capability to see and avoid the enemy's AAA, SA-2 and SA-7 missile threat (6,500 feet (2,000m) for flights inbound to Saigon and 5,500 feet (1,700m) for those outbound from Saigon to the Navy ships). The curtain of haze over Saigon so altered the diminished daylight that line of sight visibility was only a mile. 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). The weather conditions deteriorated as the operation continued. [6]:67 Also on 25 April the Federal Aviation Administration banned commercial flights into South Vietnam. Marine corporals McMahon and Judge, killed at the DAO compound, were the only members of US forces killed in action during the operation and they were the last US ground casualties in Vietnam. military operations. [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. [10]:197 At 23:40 Marines destroyed the satellite terminal, the DAO Compound's last means of direct communication with the outside world. [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. [21]:7 At 03:27 President Gerald Ford ordered that no more than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation. The Air America pilot shut down his helicopter and left it. [20]:2728 The scene was famously captured on film by Hubert van Es. Major Buang, Wife and 5 child." [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. period for which that ship is eligible. 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. [28], While the operation itself was a success, the images of the evacuation symbolized the wastefulness and ultimate futility of American involvement in Vietnam. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. On the afternoon of 30 April, TF-76 moved away from the coast, picking up more refugees as they went. [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. (Operation Eagle Pull) April 11-13, 1975 Congo July 14, 1960 to September 1, 1962 and . Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for Vietnam. Please rescue me. 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. XVI . In April 1975, Okinawa participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. [3] The evacuation took place primarily from the Defense Attach Office compound, beginning around 14:00 on the afternoon of 29 April, and ending that night with only limited small arms damage to the helicopters. 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. Thanks to my daughter for never giving up. 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. 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. for the same service. [10]:200 At 04:30 with the 19 lift limit already exceeded, Major Kean went to the rooftop LZ and spoke over a helicopter radio with General Carey who advised that President Ford had ordered that the airlift be limited to US personnel. [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. [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. 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. A South Vietnamese C-130 aircraft, trying to take off was hit by enemy SA-7 rockets and burns on the runway during the evacuation exercises in Saigon. VI . 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. [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. But these restrictions were relaxed and eventually ignored altogether as the pace of the evacuation quickened. [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. [16] Japanese journalists, concerned that they would not recognize the tune, had to get someone to sing it to them. 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. It has often been misidentified as the US Embassy. Hugh van Es believed that Miss Saigon misappropriated his photo and considered legal action against the show, but decided against it. 11231 of 8 July 1965. b. Vietnam Service Medal Eligibility Requirements. (d) Temporary Duty. [25][26] The South Korean civilians were evacuated in 1976, while General Rhee and two other diplomats were held captive until April 1980. (Operation Eagle Pull) April 11-13, 1975 Congo July 14, 1960 to September 1, 1962 and . All of my awards were issued also. (4) Limitations. 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. [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. 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. It was carried out on 2930 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. serving, for one or more days, with an organization Common questions about the Combat Action Ribbon and who rates it: (a). Shown: A Vietnamese woman, carrying her son, is given a numbered tag as she arrives onboard USS Hancock (CV-19). instances where the local commander certifies a particular and (2) Personnel Eligible. By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. The following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. I was present as a Marine attached to the USS Denver during Operation Frequent Wind during April and part of May in 1975. 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. 11. ships or units, and who actually participated in the given 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 performance of duty in carrying out a mission under the ordinary hazards of war, or participation in extended periods of combat duty, or in a large number of combat missions does not itself justify the award, which is designated to recognize specific acts of heroism on the part of the unit acting as a team. 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: The command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) was located approximately 28 km from Vung Tau, Vietnam, at 1500 hrs on 29 April 1975. 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. Normal performance of duty or a large number of combat missions does not in itself justify the award. A total of 1,373 Americans and over 5,600 South Vietnamese nationals were . VIII. [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. [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. [6]:122 Marine pilots accumulated 1,054 flight hours and flew 682 sorties throughout Operation Frequent Wind. 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. Click on the units you served with to see eligibility for U.S. issued unit action awards Two Marine CH-53 helicopters set down in a parking lot on the north edge of Saigon during the evacuation. [1][2]:14. during the period for which that ship is listed as eligible, are Vietnam Counter-offensive I1 01 Jul 66 to 31 May 67 Some 400 evacuees were left behind at the embassy including over 100 South Korean citizens; among them was Brigadier General Dai Yong Rhee, the intelligence chief at the South Korean Embassy in Saigon. space thereof, between 4 July 1965 and 28 March 1973, and 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. 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. [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. Click on unit logos above for eligibility. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975 to April, 30 1975 Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958 to July 3, 1965 . This will be followed by the playing of I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. [20]:20, At 11:00 the security situation at the Air America compound was deteriorating as General Carey did not wish to risk his Marines by extending his perimeter to cover the Air America compound (LZ 40), so all Air America helicopters from this time operated out of the tennis courts in the DAO Annex (LZ 35). Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958, to July 3, 1965. Scroll down to commemorate this event. Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart WOULD NOT necessarily qualify for the CAR. It is so sad that so many of use never received what was due us.. 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. eligible for the award. However, no person shall be entitled to 11231 of 08 July 1965. (c). Moments later a RVNAF UH-1H attempted to land on the helipad, locked rotors with the Air America Bell, almost pushing it overboard. Martin told them that he would not tolerate any outward signs that the United States intended to abandon South Vietnam. 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. Writer Claude-Michel Schnberg has acknowledged that the musical was inspired by pictures of the evacuation. One AC-119 gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and firing on the approaching PAVN. VII .Vietnam Counter-offensive IV 02 Apr 68 to 30 Jun 68 They quickly established an austere command post in preparation for the arrival of the Marine CH-53s and the ground security force. 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. The U.S. Air Force played a key role in Operation FRE-QUENTWIND. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. [18] Disgruntled ARVN troops repeatedly hit American helicopters with small arms fire throughout the evacuation, without causing serious damage. [6]:81 Some RVNAF aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN. XVII . The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. . Most of the Marines were inside the chancery when the crowds outside the embassy broke through the gates into the compound. (3) Eligible Ships and Units. [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. 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. X. Tet 69 Counter-offensive 23 Feb 69 to 08 Jun 69 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. should be submitted to CNO/CMC, via the commander who exercised E.O. 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. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975 to April, 30 1975 Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958 to July 3, 1965 . Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. Op's Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal Ensure that your VA disability claim file denotes these awards. The operation ended at 0900 on April 30, and by noon that day, Communist flags waved over Saigon's Presidential Palace. RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. [6] Originally codenamed "Talon Vise", the operation was renamed "Frequent Wind" when the original codename was compromised. echelons, transients, observers, and personnel assigned for Also automatically authorized is the Humanitarian ServiceMedal. The following amplifying remarks are furnished as guidance. Many pilots fled to Hancock, seeking refuge for themselves, family and friends during the evacuation. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. However, no person shall be entitled to both awards for service in an area for which the VSM has been authorized. 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. Click on red bar for more info. [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. National Defense Service Medal Combat Action Ribbon-Operation Frequent Wind Navy Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one Bronze star-. Perdue presented the medals to Petrazewsky for his heroics during Operation Frequent Wind in Vietnam in 1975. . She began her deployment heading West and . (c) Air Duty. 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. The booklet included a map of Saigon pinpointing "assembly areas where a helicopter will pick you up." As they approached the helicopters had taken rifle and M-79 grenade fire from ARVN troops but without causing any apparent damage. 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). When Lady Ace 09 transmitted "Tiger is out", those helicopter crews still flying thought the mission was complete, and delayed evacuating the Marines from the embassy rooftop. [6]:9899 USAF aircraft operating out of Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Korat Air Base and U-Tapao Air Base in Thailand were also overhead for the duration of the helicopter evacuation. (check below for additional Republic of Vietnam unit awards). application, any such member may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the 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). In Operation Frequent Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter. IT IS. 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. [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. [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. Operation Frequent Wind concluded more than two decades of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Operation Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975 - Recreated map.svg. Major Kean saw Ambassador Martin to request that he contact the Oval Office to ensure that the airlift continued. Personnel in clandestine or special operations such as reconnaissance and SEAL teams are eligible when the risk of enemy fire was great and was expected to be encountered. At this time, the embassy indicated that another 19 lifts would complete the evacuation. DIVE! Helicopters began to clog ship decks and eventually, some were pushed overboard to allow others to land. By 20:30 the last evacuees had been loaded onto helicopters. (c) Members qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), by reason [34] The USS Midway is a museum ship in San Diego. Eventually the ARVN commander controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound. (a) Vietnam Service Medal is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. 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. 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. 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). to 30 April 1975, may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such July 1965 by pictures of the western section Talon Vise '', the Operation renamed... 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