operation frequent wind awards

All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation ofSaigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and VietnamCross of Gallantry. space thereof, between 4 July 1965 and 28 March 1973, and [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. Rather than loading as many evacuees as possible, each evacuee was required to have a seat and a seatbelt, reducing the number of passengers that could be carried on each flight to 94 in a C-141 and 75 in a C-130. (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. [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. Personnel assigned to areas subjected to sustained mortar, missile, and artillery attacks actively participate in retaliatory or offensive actions are eligible. [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. [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. It took 43 years to get my dd214 changed to the dd215. [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. [20]:2224 According to US Naval Archives, at 12:30 an Air America Bell 205 landed Air Vice Marshal Nguyn Cao K, Madame K, Dorothy Martin (wife of Ambassador Martin) and others on USS Denver; however, contemporary reports state and photos show that Marshal K piloted his own UH-1H Huey to USS Midway. The U.S. Air Force played a key role in Operation FRE-QUENTWIND. [18] Disgruntled ARVN troops repeatedly hit American helicopters with small arms fire throughout the evacuation, without causing serious damage. of the United States, serving at any time between 4 July 1965 As the imminent collapse of Saigon became evident, the U.S. Navy assembled Task Force 76 off the coast near Vng Tu to support a helicopter evacuation and provide air support if required. 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. [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. 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. Bronze Arrowhead (Army), For current prices select the image or one of the following links, Military Medals and Military Ribbons links, Official Military Ribbons-- provides information and links for. (c) Air Duty. The Operations were called "Eagle Pull" and "Frequent Wind". List of Authorized Campaign Stars. [27] Forty-nine Americans, including dependents, were also left behind or chose to remain in Saigon. Vietnam Counter-offensive V 01 Jul 68 to 01 Nov 68 This directive was subsequently reversed; some operators had ignored it anyway. 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. This operation was also the debut combat deployment of the F-14 Tomcat aircraft. Tet Counter-offensive 30 Jan 68 to 01 Apr 68 [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. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975 to April, 30 1975 Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958 to July 3, 1965 . [6]:81 Some RVNAF aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN. authorized. 2 Per reference (b) above, paragraph 14 (Page 2-20) of said reference states: (1). (a) Vietnam Service Medal is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces (4) Limitations. The system worked so efficiently that the buses were able to make three return journeys rather than the expected one. (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. There was an insert page which read: "Note evacuational signal. [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. X. Tet 69 Counter-offensive 23 Feb 69 to 08 Jun 69 Personnel in riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible. [23], Sea Stallions returning from the DAO Compound approach USS Midway, RVNAF Hueys and a CH-47 Chinook arrive at USS Midway, RVNAF Huey full with evacuees on the deck of USS Midway. 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. 11231 of 08 July 1965. the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns: I. Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 Mar 62 to 07 Mar 65 At 15:00 the first CH-53s were sighted heading towards the DAO Compound at Tan Son Nhut. I was awarded the VSM as well as the humanitarian service medal. Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (b) Sea Duty. [6]:34 American commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut, but with decreasing frequency. The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam. present in the area merely for training purposes are not Frequent Wind [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. [21]:67 From the billowing incinerator on the embassy roof floated intelligence documents and US currency, most charred; some not. [25][26] The South Korean civilians were evacuated in 1976, while General Rhee and two other diplomats were held captive until April 1980. Common questions about the Combat Action Ribbon and who rates it: (a). Squadrons or units embarked in a ship, It is so sad that so many of use never received what was due us.. No BS, just fact.. operation, are eligible for the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). stipulates that personnel who were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for their All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the. NHHC Photograph Collection, Navy Subject Files. Hancock would be involved in both operations. Elbert, CO 80106, Colonel William B. Davis, USMC (Retired) Bio, View by Tank Companies & Ontos Battalions, Randy Browning Memorial Awarded the Navy Cross, Authorization for wear: E.O. 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. 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. At 07:00 the AC-119 was firing on PAVN to the east of Tan Son Nhut when it too was hit by an SA-7 and fell in flames to the ground. [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. military operations. Note: (5) Named Campaigns are denoted by a 3/16 silver service star. for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is On the afternoon of 30 April, TF-76 moved away from the coast, picking up more refugees as they went. 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. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. I now have metastatic prostrate cancer with no family history and have been told to file a claim with the VA for disability. for the award; however, consideration will be given in those A third wave of two CH-53s from HMH-463 and eight USAF CH-53Cs and two USAF HH-53s of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (all operating from USS Midway) arrived shortly afterwards. 127-GVB-279-A150960: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. The stem of the palm is to the wearer's right." . [21]:5 Air America UH-1s began ferrying evacuees from other smaller assembly points throughout the city and dropping them on the Embassy's rooftop LZ. 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. 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. [24] Major Buang became the first RVNAF fixed-wing pilot to ever land on a carrier. Eventually the ARVN commander controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound. [6]:73, At 03:30 on 29 April a PAVN rocket hit Guardpost 1 at the DAO Compound, instantly killing Marine Corporals McMahon and Judge. service. 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. Evacuation, without causing serious damage called & quot ; Frequent Wind & quot ; Frequent &! Now in the collections of the National Archives the remaining buses to enter the compound to out! Controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound evacuated! About the combat Action Ribbon and who rates it: ( 5 ) Campaigns... 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