Click on the units you served with to see eligibility for U.S. issued unit action awards During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. It has often been misidentified as the US Embassy. Do not disclose to other personnel. Normal performance of duty or in a large number of combat missions does not in itself justify the award. [27] Forty-nine Americans, including dependents, were also left behind or chose to remain in Saigon. 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. [21]:67 From the billowing incinerator on the embassy roof floated intelligence documents and US currency, most charred; some not. The following amplifying remarks are furnished as guidance. c. Engagement Stars. Helicopters overflew the designated LZs to check no Americans had been left behind and then the last helicopters (many low on fuel) headed out to TF76, located USS Midway or USS Hancock and shut down. [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deployed to the DAO Compound on 13 April to replace eight Marine guards who had been providing security after they were withdrawn from the closed Da Nang and Nha Trang consulates. (d) Public Law 107-314 of 2 December 2002 (e). [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. operations. one award of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). 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 [30], For an operation of the size and complexity of Frequent Wind, casualties were relatively light. 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. The booklet included a map of Saigon pinpointing "assembly areas where a helicopter will pick you up." [10]:196 The plan for the evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon. In April 1975, Okinawa participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. [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." 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. [10]:182 This was the last USAF fixed-wing aircraft to leave Tan Son Nhut. 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. [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. Members qualified for the AFEM by reason of service between 01Jul1958 and 03Jul1965 (inclusive) in an area for which the Vietnam Service medal (VSM) was subsequently authorized shall remain qualified for that medal. 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. We also conducted a brief search of the catalog using the terms Operation Frequent Wind, Operation Eagle Pull, and Agent Orange. XI. area for which the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) was subsequently (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975, to April 30, 1975. Also automatically authorized is the Humanitarian ServiceMedal. [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. In Operation Frequent Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter. [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. In addition, military aircraft from Australia, Indonesia, Iran, Poland, the United Kingdom, France, and other countries flew in to evacuate their embassy personnel. [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. Subsequent awards will be indicated by the use of a Gold Star on the ribbon: (1). [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. Vietnam Counter-offensive 25 Dec 65 to 30 Jun 66 During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. Planning for the evacuation of the Americans and their South Vietnamese allies from South Vietnam had begun before April 1975. [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. [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. (c) Air Duty. Perdue presented the medals to Petrazewsky for his heroics during Operation Frequent Wind in Vietnam in 1975. . 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. [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. of the United States, serving at any time between 4 July 1965 The Marines on the rooftop had sealed the doors and were using Mace to discourage the crowd from trying to break through. Many pilots fled to Hancock, seeking refuge for themselves, family and friends during the evacuation. 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. Among those arriving at the embassy were Phan Quang n, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for social welfare and refugee resettlement,[14]:27 and Lieutenant-General ng Vn Quang. Description. Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958, to July 3, 1965. [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. [19], Despite all the concern over these military threats, the weather presented the gravest danger. 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. The crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the taxiway and departed the airfield on another C-130 that had previously landed. of service between 1 July 1958 and 3 July 1965, inclusive, in an [6]:69, With the fall of Saigon imminent, between 18 and 24 April the U.S. Navy assembled ships off Vng Tu under Commander Task Force 76:[8], USSOklahoma City (Seventh Fleet flagship), Task Group 76.4 (Movement Transport Group Alpha), Task Group 76.5 (Movement Transport Group Bravo), Task Group 76.9 (Movement Transport Group Charlie). 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. operation, are eligible for the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). Companies E and F respectively occupied the northern and southern sections between the DAO headquarters and the DAO Annex. Helicopters began to clog ship decks and eventually, some were pushed overboard to allow others to land. Once completed, the new defensive perimeter encompassed only LZ 36 and the Alamo. [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. 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). I now have metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to file a claim with the VA for disability. Evacuation of Phnom Penh and Saigon, April 29, 1975. Once the deck was clear Major Buang approached the deck, bounced once and then touched down and taxied to a halt with room to spare. [6]:8 There were about 17,000 at-risk Vietnamese on embassy rolls, which, using an average of seven dependents per family, meant that the number requiring evacuation was 119,000. space thereof, between 4 July 1965 and 28 March 1973, and 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]: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. 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! It was carried out on 2930 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. Personnel in riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible. 11. [6]:81 Some RVNAF aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN. This includes personnel attached to a squadron or unit embarked in a ship during the 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. 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. 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. Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) Ribbon Synopsis: Awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps for outstanding performance in action. Taken with other categories of Vietnamese, the number quickly passed 200,000. DIVE! English: Map showing the disposition of U.S. Navy ships at the start of "Operation Frequent Wind", in April 1975. [6]:92, The evacuation proceeded without interference from the PAVN. 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. The U.S. Air Force played a key role in Operation FRE-QUENTWIND. [21]:8. Date. [20]:29. [10]:186, "Alpha" command group, two rifle companies, and the 81mm mortar platoon were deployed around the DAO headquarters building (the Alamo) and its adjacent landing zones. The two enlisted crewmen survived, but the bodies of the pilots were not recovered. participating in or directly supporting military operations. [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. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. [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. 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]. eligible for the medal. [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. 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. [6] Originally codenamed "Talon Vise", the operation was renamed "Frequent Wind" when the original codename was compromised. The curtain of haze over Saigon so altered the diminished daylight that line of sight visibility was only a mile. The following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. (Authorization of the CAR must be approved either by the USMC or USN AwardsBranches. [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. 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 helicopter was one of 15 which landed on board USS Blue Ridge with Vietnamese military personnel and families during the evacuation. [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. [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. [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. [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). [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. On that final day, USAF aircraft flew a total of 1,422 sorties over Saigon. 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: of the United States in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the air These medals are not a basis for preference and include the following: . No medal is authorized for this citation. The Military Departments are . member in one or more aerial flights, directly supporting significant contribution by an individual. The U.S. government was continuing to observe its obligations under the Accords, notwithstanding the North Vietnamese invasion. [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. [2]:92. [25][26] The South Korean civilians were evacuated in 1976, while General Rhee and two other diplomats were held captive until April 1980. [6]:72 At 21:00 on 28 April Major General Homer D. Smith, the Defense Attach, informed the evacuation control center that 60 C-130 flights would come in on 29 April to evacuate 10,000 people. Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for Vietnam. Authorization. Common questions about the Combat Action Ribbon and who rates it: (a). 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 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. 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. Op's Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal Ensure that your VA disability claim file denotes these awards. Tens of thousands of Vietnamese evacuated themselves by sea or air. An individual whose eligibility has been established in combat in any of the following listed operations, is authorized the award of the CAR. One AC-119 gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and firing on the approaching PAVN. (check below for additional Republic of Vietnam unit awards). The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. 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. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. 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. 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. MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. 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. But these restrictions were relaxed and eventually ignored altogether as the pace of the evacuation quickened. [6]:70 C-130s leaving Tan Son Nhut reported receiving PAVN .51 cal and 37mm anti-aircraft (AAA) fire,[6]:7172 while sporadic PAVN rocket and artillery attacks also started to hit the airport and air base. When the evacuation is ordered, the code will be read out on Armed Forces Radio. (c) Members qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), by reason (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. V. Vietnam Counter-offensive I11 01 Jun 67 to 29 Jan 68 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]: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. By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. RVNAF Huey is pushed overboard from USS Midway. 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. At 15:00 the first CH-53s were sighted heading towards the DAO Compound at Tan Son Nhut. 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