This includes personnel attached to a squadron or unit embarked in a ship during the 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. This will be followed by the playing of I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. The fixed-wing evacuation was terminated and Operation Frequent Wind began. 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. Vietnam, Summer-Fall 1969 09 Jun 69 to 31 Oct 69 (3) Eligible Ships and Units. In any case this effectively marked the end of the commercial airlift from Tan Son Nhut. 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. (c). A South Vietnamese pilot lands his Huey helicopter on the deck of USS Hancock (CV-19). (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. Consolidation I1 01 Dec 71 to 29 Mar 72 authorized. (4) Limitations. [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. 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. 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. Operation Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975 - Recreated map.svg. 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. The following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. However, no person shall be entitled to both awards The RVNAF pilots had been instructed after dropping off their passengers to ditch their helicopters and they would then be picked up by one of the ship's tenders. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. His helicopter turned and hit the side of Blue Ridge before hitting the sea. 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. One AC-119 gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and firing on the approaching PAVN. 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. [16] Japanese journalists, concerned that they would not recognize the tune, had to get someone to sing it to them. Hancock would be involved in both operations. Shipmates would fight for that ship. 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. [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. Operations. [6]:38[10]:178179, By late March, the embassy began to reduce the number of U.S. citizens in Vietnam by encouraging dependents and non-essential personnel to leave the country by commercial flights and on Military Airlift Command (MAC) C-141 and C-5 aircraft, which were still bringing in emergency military supplies. (a). ), 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.) I was awarded the VSM as well as the humanitarian service medal. Click on unit logos above for eligibility. 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. [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. 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. [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. [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. ships or units, and who actually participated in the given 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. Major Buang, Wife and 5 child." service in Vietnam, and no person shall be entitled to more than Also automatically authorized is the Humanitarian ServiceMedal. [20]:2728 The scene was famously captured on film by Hubert van Es. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Operation FREQUENT WIND was the first major operation At 11:30 PAVN tanks smashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace less than 1km from the embassy and raised the flag of the Viet Cong over the building; the Vietnam War was over. These altitudes were also high enough to avoid small arms and artillery fire. [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. The crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the taxiway and departed the airfield on another C-130 that had previously landed. [38] Hubert van Es' photo is frequently used in political cartoons commenting on US foreign policy. Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such service. [21]:7 At 03:27 President Gerald Ford ordered that no more than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation. The two enlisted crewmen survived, but the bodies of the pilots were not recovered. Common questions about the Combat Action Ribbon and who rates it: (a). 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). 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). It is so sad that so many of use never received what was due us.. 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. 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! Vietnam, Winter-Spring 1970 01 Nov 69 to 30 Apr 70 area for which the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) was subsequently [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. 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. Eventually the ARVN commander controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound. Vietnam Counter-offensive VII 01 Jul 70 to 30 Jun 71 [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. (Operation Eagle Pull) April 11-13, 1975 Congo July 14, 1960 to September 1, 1962 and . Join me as I look back 44 Years Earlier In 1973 America's fighting in Southeast Asia ended, placing the combat burden against North Vietnam squarely on the shoulders of the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN). "[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". This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps. c. Engagement Stars. Major Kean saw Ambassador Martin to request that he contact the Oval Office to ensure that the airlift continued. member in one or more aerial flights, directly supporting The evacuation of the embassy was completed at 07:53 on 30 April, but some Americans chose to stay or were left behind and some 400 third-country nationals were left at the embassy. (c) Members qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), by reason Guide to the Khanh Van Thi Nguyen Narrative on Operation Frequent Wind. A 3/16 inch bronze star is 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. This office can identify awards earned by Navy units. operational control in the area involved. However, no person shall be entitled to both awards for service in an area for which the VSM has been authorized. The USN formed a 48 ship task force to evacuate Americans and other from these countries. [28], While the operation itself was a success, the images of the evacuation symbolized the wastefulness and ultimate futility of American involvement in Vietnam. [6]:79 Between 04:30 and 08:00 up to 40 artillery rounds and rockets hit around the DAO Compound. The command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) was located approximately 28 km from Vung Tau, Vietnam, at 1500 hrs on 29 April 1975. [10]:188, As part of the evacuation plan agreed with the DAO, Air America committed 24 of its 28 available helicopters to support the evacuation and 31 pilots agreed to stay in Saigon to support the evacuation; this meant that most helicopters would have only one pilot rather than the usual two. Scroll down to commemorate this event. [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. Hancock was lovingly called Hanna and Fightin' Hanna by the crew. [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. Many of the Vietnamese evacuees were allowed to enter the United States under the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act. Taken with other categories of Vietnamese, the number quickly passed 200,000. stipulates that personnel who were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for their [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. both awards for service in an area for which the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) has been 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. eligible for the award. [6]:103 At 00:30 on 30 April, thermite grenades, having been previously placed in selected buildings, ignited as two CH-53s left the DAO parking lot carrying the last elements of BLT 2/4. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. Around 12:00 five or six RVNAF UH-1Hs and one of the stolen ICCS UH-1Hs, were circling around Blue Ridge. By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. 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. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. 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. It was carried out on 29-30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. 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. Such certification [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. It immediately turned toward the threatening radar and fifteen to twenty anti-aircraft weapons opened up on it and the F-4D. Normal performance of duty or a large number of combat missions does not in itself justify the award. Most of the Marines were inside the chancery when the crowds outside the embassy broke through the gates into the compound. I now have metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to file a claim with the VA for disability. In addition, the Vietnamese relatives of American citizens and senior Government of Vietnam officials and their dependents (about 600,000 people) were also identified as potential evacuees, along with Vietnamese formerly employed by the U.S. and their dependents. 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