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. 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]:2021 In late March, two or three of these MAC aircraft were arriving each day and were used to evacuate civilians and Vietnamese orphans. Upon submission of evidence to their commanding officer, personnel who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) or Combat Medical Badge (CMB) while a member of the US Army may be authorized to wear the CAR. 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 We also conducted a brief search of the catalog using the terms Operation Frequent Wind, Operation Eagle Pull, and Agent Orange. [10]:196 The plan for the evacuation included stationing buses and American civilian bus drivers at 28 buildings throughout metropolitan Saigon. The service medal was awarded to all members of the armed forces who served in Vietnam and contiguous waters and airspace between 01 July 1958 and 28 March 1973. Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such service. Shown: A Vietnamese woman, carrying her son, is given a numbered tag as she arrives onboard USS Hancock (CV-19). Scroll down to commemorate this event. XIII. [20]:2829 With its available fleet of only 20 Hueys (3 of which were impounded, ditched or damaged at TF76), Air America had moved over 1,000 evacuees to the DAO Compound, the Embassy or out to the ships of TF76. Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart WOULD NOT necessarily qualify for the CAR. [41][42], The operation was the subject of the 2014 PBS documentary Last Days in Vietnam.[43]. Between 19:00 and 21:00 on 29 April approximately 130 additional Marines from 2nd Battalion 4th Marines were lifted from the DAO Compound to reinforce perimeter security at the embassy,[10]:195 bringing the total number of Marines at the embassy to 175. Perdue presented the medals to Petrazewsky for his heroics during Operation Frequent Wind in Vietnam in 1975. . [27] Forty-nine Americans, including dependents, were also left behind or chose to remain in Saigon. [6]:111 However, one USAF report states that an F-4C Wild Weasel and an F-4D of the 388th Fighter Wing, was patrolling between Tan Son Nhut and Bien Hoa about 16:00 when the Wild Weasel detected SAM radar emissions to the north. The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. National Defense Service Medal Combat Action Ribbon-Operation Frequent Wind Navy Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one Bronze star-. Sporadic gunfire from around the embassy passed over the rooftop. authorized for wear on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of [6]:81 Some RVNAF aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN. b. Ambassador Martin soon sent word back to Major Kean that sorties would continue to be flown. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. Click on red bar for more info. limit may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat Major Kean saw Ambassador Martin to request that he contact the Oval Office to ensure that the airlift continued. As they approached the helicopters had taken rifle and M-79 grenade fire from ARVN troops but without causing any apparent damage. Actual participation as a crew 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. Despite receiving sporadic PAVN AAA fire, USAF and USN aircraft made no attacks on AAA or SAM sites during the evacuation. [10]:198, By 02:15 on 30 April one CH-46 and one CH-53 were landing at the embassy every 10 minutes. The following amplifying remarks are furnished as guidance. At 15:00 the first CH-53s were sighted heading towards the DAO Compound at Tan Son Nhut. Tet Counter-offensive 30 Jan 68 to 01 Apr 68 for the award; however, consideration will be given in those [6]:27 By 16 April, Alamo was complete: water, C-rations, petroleum, oil, and lubricants had been stockpiled; backup electricity generators had been installed; sanitary facilities were completed; and concertina wire protected the perimeter. (a) Shore Duty. V. Vietnam Counter-offensive I11 01 Jun 67 to 29 Jan 68 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. 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. [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. Vietnam Counter-offensive V 01 Jul 68 to 01 Nov 68 XVIII. (a). application, any such member may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the Strategic Air Command KC-135 tankers provided air-to-air refueling. 127-GVB-279-A150960: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. Click on unit logos above for eligibility. Brigadier General Richard E. Carey, commander of the 9th MAB, flew to Saigon the next day to see Ambassador Martin; he later said, "The visit was cold, non-productive and appeared to be an irritant to the Ambassador". On the afternoon of 30 April, TF-76 moved away from the coast, picking up more refugees as they went. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. Martin told them that he would not tolerate any outward signs that the United States intended to abandon South Vietnam. List of Authorized Campaign Stars. RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. 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. However, no person shall be entitled to both awards This helicopter was one of 15 which landed on board USS Blue Ridge with Vietnamese military personnel and families during the evacuation. [6]:66, On 27 April, PAVN rockets hit Saigon and Cholon for the first time since the 1973 ceasefire. 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. 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. In addition, military aircraft from Australia, Indonesia, Iran, Poland, the United Kingdom, France, and other countries flew in to evacuate their embassy personnel. 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. Pay tribute to a Vietnam War Hero past or present and hear the stories of Operation Frequent Wind and the Fall of Saigon from those . Chambers ordered the flight deck crew to clear the landing area; in the process an estimated US$10 million worth of UH-1 Huey helicopters were pushed overboard into the South China Sea. the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns: I. Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 Mar 62 to 07 Mar 65 A C-130 Airborne Command and Control controlled all US air operations over land. 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 following three tables identify those awards that are campaign and expeditionary medals. The biggest problem occurred when the ARVN unit guarding the main gate at Tan Son Nhut refused to allow the last convoy of buses into the DAO Compound at about 17:45. In any case this effectively marked the end of the commercial airlift from Tan Son Nhut. [6]:46 The fall of Xun Lc on 21 April and the resignation of President Nguyn Vn Thiu on 21 April brought greater crowds seeking evacuation to the DAO Compound as it became apparent that South Vietnam's days were numbered. (b) Sea Duty. [21]:6 At 21:30 a CH-53 pilot informed Major Kean that Admiral Whitmire, Commander of Task Force 76 had ordered that operations would cease at 23:00. 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 Operation Frequent Wind Campaign Credit is authorized to all units and unit members who participated in the final missions performed by US and Allied forces during the last days of the Republic of South Vietnam government. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon. Operation FREQUENT WIND 29 Apr 75 to 30 Apr 75 Planning for the evacuation of the Americans and their South Vietnamese allies from South Vietnam had begun before April 1975. 127-GVB-279-A150966: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. participation in Operation FREQUENT WIND, during the period 29 45 years ago, the USS Midway was part of the largest humanitarian effort in naval history, a proud and patriotic accomplishment that will forever be ingrained in our history. 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. [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. A 3/16 inch bronze star is [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. Note: (5) Named Campaigns are denoted by a 3/16 silver service star. Members of rear Operation FREQUENT WIND (Evacuation of Saigon), 29 and 30 April 1975 (Note: Other Operations do not pertain to the Vietnam Era) Vietnam Service Medal XIV. 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 took 43 years to get my dd214 changed to the dd215. She began her deployment heading West and . VI . for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is Vietnam, Winter-Spring 1970 01 Nov 69 to 30 Apr 70 (4) Limitations. This office can identify awards earned by Navy units. one award of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). Op's Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal Ensure that your VA disability claim file denotes these awards. Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. [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. . short periods or TAD and training duty are normally not eligible April 30, 1975 marks the date of Operation Frequent Wind, one of the largest humanitarian rescues in naval history. Pilots of other helicopters were told to drop off their passengers and then take off and ditch in the sea, from where they would be rescued. [33], The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog that Major Buang landed on USS Midway is now on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. supporting military operations. [5] The Saigon plan had been developed over a number of years. instances where the local commander certifies a particular and Date. Subsequent awards will be indicated by the use of a Gold Star on the ribbon: (1). 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. They quickly established an austere command post in preparation for the arrival of the Marine CH-53s and the ground security force. [16] Japanese journalists, concerned that they would not recognize the tune, had to get someone to sing it to them. USAF F-4s, F-111s and A-7s provided air cover during daylight, being replaced by AC-130s from the 16th Special Operations Squadron at night. Authorization. [1][2]:14. [25][26] The South Korean civilians were evacuated in 1976, while General Rhee and two other diplomats were held captive until April 1980. 1988 http://www.amervets.com 16907 Brighton Avenue Gardena CA 90247 1-310-532-0634, Military Personnel Database http://www.amervets.com/library.htmMilitary and Vet Info-Exchange/Discussion Groups http://www.amervets.com/share.htmPublic Information Office http://www.13105320634.com, Either email addresses are anonymous for this group or you need the view member email addresses permission to view the original message, Ops Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal, http://www.amervets.com/replacement/vn.htm#isr, http://www.amervets.com/replacement/hum.htm#isr, http://www.amervets.com/replacement/car.htm#isr. 2. (c) Members qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), by reason Personnel in riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible. [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). 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). 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