The Fall of Saigon
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- April 30th marks the 39th anniversary of the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese forces. Award-winning novelist Tom Glenn was a signals intelligence officer in the United States Embassy when Saigon fell. Here he discusses Operation Frequent Wind, and Glenn's frantic attempt to get he and his people, and their families, out of Saigon before Communist forces captured the city.
This interview took place May 29, 2013.
39th Anniversary of the Evacuation of Saigon. I was on the USS Blue Ridge LCC 19, the Command ship, searching the evacuees being flown aboard. I lived on the main deck for a couple of days since you never knew when a flight was coming. I watch many, many helicopters being flown out over the water, their controls set, then seeing the pilot jump out into the water. The motor whale boats picked him up. We all received many awards for our involvement. I wish all the evacuated Vietnamese people a safe and happy life where ever you are living today.
God bless you Tom Glenn and thank you for your service.
Operation Frequent Wind had so many hero's, a shame they and their actions can't be accounted for or the interest is lost. The crew of the C-130 was saved by a miracle. As the ambassador got helicoptered out 14 Marines were left on the embassy roof top watching the Soviet tanks come down the street. Blasting out radio signals for help. They finally got pick up as the tanks were in range. The South Vietnamese Army fought bravely at several bridges with high casualties and held off the advancing tanks and army. Someone new their names, they were the last South Vietnamese to die for their country. The ground work for this war was started with Woodrow Wilson, but the politicians never understood that from q1918 forward. The U.S. ambassador was fool hardy and didn't understand the danger. However , ironically had he authorized the evacuation earlier there probably would have been more casualties as the communist would have advanced earlier. Sometimes a successful mission is accomplished by pure adrenalin. More than 7,000 people were evacuated in two incrediblly short days. You can't forget intensity like that.
It bothers me beyond words that VIETNAM is the number one importer of product today over China and are our allies.
We Must Pray for a Wonderful Future for those left over in Vietnam in the fall of Saigon
Very Saddest War after W W 2 We Must Never Forget Vietnam & the South Vietnamese left & the War Dogs of Vietnam abandoned to fend for Themselves
Ambassador Graham really dropped the ball. I wonder if any of the 2700 got out?
Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One and Operation Frequent Wind.
Although U.S. military involvement in Vietnam had ended with the withdrawal of the last ground combat forces in 1973, the U.S. maintained close ties with the Republic of Vietnam government and continued logistical support of their Armed Forces. Missions flown by, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) had also essentially come to a close with the final withdrawal of U.S military forces.
By March 1975 North Vietnam began its second invasion of South Vietnam since American withdrawal launched attacks in direct violation of the 1973 Paris Peace Accords. American military forces began mustering in mid-April off the coast of South Vietnam and in bases in the Philippines, primarily NAS Cubi Point, Philippines (Navy) and Clark Air Force Base, Philippines (USAF), and at Anderson Air Force Base (USAF) in Guam.
Operating as Commander Task Group (CTG) 72.5, and in joint intelligence with the Central Intelligence Agency, (CIA), and U.S Naval Intelligence Command, (NIC) Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One, (VQ-1) positioned two EP-3E Orion’s (PR-33 and PR-35), three aircrews (Crews 33, 35 and 36), and ground support personnel at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines beginning about April 17, 1975. This task group operated as a command separate from the usual VQ-1 Det Cubi Point.
PR-35 and Crew 36 arrived at Cubi Point after an across-the-Pacific odyssey. That odyssey which found Crew 35 and Crew 36 in the Philippines for the operations in the evacuation of Vietnam/Saigon. Crew 35 returned from operations monitoring the soviet missile activities from Midway and Wake islands, Crew 36 after 135 straight days of deployment and flight operations in Hawaii, Dallas and California following the installation of the first computerized intercept system termed "Deep Well and Brigand, with the Communications intercept system termed Ares II”
When the call came to form and activate CTG 72.5, Crew 36 had been flying in the Sea of Japan for Six and a half weeks, (52 days) monitoring Soviet and North Korean activities, in the upcoming possible operations of Vietnam. During that time, they had flown at a higher pace than usual, been intercepted five times by Soviet Naval Aviation MiG-23s (later designated MiG-27), and on April 9th narrowly missed being intercepted by a North Korean MiG-21 with orders to “eliminate the American Spy” only by the fortune of having to abort a mission early due to an engine/propeller failure.
The flight crews began 24-hour overlapping surveillance 12 miles off the coast of South Vietnam on April 22, launching from NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. Missions sometimes lasted as long as 15.4 hours airborne due to the relieving aircraft and crew flying with the departing aircraft and crew for up to an hour for intelligence pass down. During this time there was very little crew rest time du to the high tempo of the operations.
The EP-3E’s were the US Navy’s last combat flights of the Vietnam War, completing their missions for that period in April 20-29 1975, Flying 24/7 as intelligence and command and control of the Evacuation of Saigon. Crew 36 actually flew the last Naval Aviation combat mission of the Vietnam War.
As CTG 72.5 VQ-1, it was squadron tasking to make the first call to advise to begin Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of American and Vietnamese citizens, when predetermined criteria were met. After flying a week of 24-hour overlapping surveillance support, Crew 36 personnel were on-station when the criteria were met and the first message was issued from PR-35. The designated on-scene commander; Crew 36, used that intelligence to convince the American Ambassador; Graham Wilson to approve the evacuation which began officially began on April 29, unofficially on 30 April 1975.
During the evacuation PR-35, an unarmed intelligence reconnaissance aircraft flew with no national insignias, and Crew 36 was intercepted by a North Vietnamese MiG-21PF fighter. Because of the electronic intercept capability and communication intercept capability of the EP-3E Deepwell/Ares II aircraft and the capabilities of the enlisted aircrew the Electronic Warfare Officer, (EWO/EVAL), Ensign Michael Kelley was able to detect the intercept and successfully alert the pilots to take evasive maneuvers with the assistance of the “Biglook” operator AT2 David D’Amore which allowed the EP-3E (the size of a medium airliner) to evade the AA-2 Atoll AAM fired at PR-35 by the NVN MiG-21. The MiG then fired it’s 23mm cannon at the aircraft hitting the vertical stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer, shrapnel penetrating the aircraft cabin before leaving the area after receiving instructions from the onboard communications operators (instructing the pilot as his GCI center). Electronic Aircraft Commander; Lt Michael Asher, (EWAC), requested AA assistance and fighter protection from the USS Constellation, (CV-64), the reply was “you don’t exist, no escort available for you”
Flight operations for CTG 72.5 continued until May 7 when Crews 33 and 35 were returned to NAS Guam. Crew 36 and PR-35, after being deployed for 141 days, were then relocated to Osan Air Force Base, Korea, to fly several days of "exciter and beggar balls" missions along the DMZ between South and North Korea to map the AA and Air defenses deployed there by North Korea. Crew 35 finally returned to Guam on May 11 after being deployed for 145 continuous days. The crews 33, 35 and 36 were released for further service with the Central Intelligence Agency, (CIA) and Naval intelligence command, (NIC).
Crew 36 had the distinction of being the only EP-3 crew to that time to be awarded the Sea Service ribbon for extended deployment. All three of the crews were awarded and designated Combat Aircrewmen, (CAC) and Crew 36 was awarded 3 bronze stars.
As a result of its participation in Operation Frequent Wind, VQ-1, as a command, was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal. The flight crews and ground support personnel who composed CTG 72.5 VQ-1 were also individually awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for meeting 100 percent of the intense mission requirements. The three flight crews - 33, 35, and 36 - were also issued "Combat Zone Base Pay Exemption" forms for April 1975, making them the last VQ-1 Vietnam veterans and among the very last U.S. Vietnam Combat Veterans of any branch of the United States Military service.
This ended VQ-1 and America's involvement in the Vietnam War in what was re-designated by Congress in 2003 as the 18th and Last Campaign of the Vietnam War. This also made Crews 33, 35 and 36 eligible to exchange their Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals for Vietnam Service Medals with 1 bronze star.
The cockpit crew, Lt. Michael Asher (Pilot/EWAC), Lt. Charles Martin (Co-pilot), and AD1 Joseph Stivala (Flight Engineer), were awarded Air medals for their actions in the evasive maneuver in saving of the crew and aircraft.
NOTE: (Michael Kelley was commissioned through Aviation Officer Candidate School at NAS Pensacola, Florida in 1973. He reported to VQ-1 in Guam in June 1974, following advanced Electronic Warfare training. He flew the last EC-121M Lockheed Super Constellation deployment before the Supper Constellation was retired from VQ-1. He was deployed with Crew 36 as a Junior Evaluator, (JEVAL), for its extended odyssey and sent the message advising the Task Force Commander to begin the Vietnam evacuation. He left VQ-1 in December 1976, and went on to teach Leadership and Management, and fly the ERA-3B Douglas Skywarrior on Electronic Warfare Aggressor missions with the Firebirds of VAQ-33 as Electronic Warfare Aircraft Model Manager, Mission Commander, NATO Coordinator and, at the time, the only O3 (Lieutenant) designated as an Event Commander. It should be noted that the decision to commence the evacuation was given by Ensign Michael Kelley, who was instrumental in the saving of the aircraft and crew due to his expertise and knowledge of the situation.
USS Denver with USMC
I may have missed that part, but did your family make it out safely?
What a stupid decision!