This day in 1975 was the first day of Operation Frequent Wind, 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. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon.
At the beginning of March, fixed-wing aircraft began evacuating civilians from Tan Son Nhat Airport through neighboring countries. By mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. As the imminent collapse of Saigon became evident, the U.S. Navy assembled Task Force 76 off the coast near Vũng Tàu to support a helicopter evacuation and provide air support if required.
On 28 April, Tan Son Nhut Air Base (next to the airport) came under artillery fire and attack from Vietnamese People’s Air Force aircraft. The fixed-wing evacuation was terminated and Operation Frequent Wind began. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut.
The evacuation took place primarily from the Defense Attaché Office compound, beginning around 14:00 on 29 April, and ending that night with only limited small arms damage to the helicopters. The U.S. Embassy in Saigon was intended to be only a secondary evacuation point for embassy staff, but it was soon overwhelmed with evacuees and desperate South Vietnamese. 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.
South Vietnamese refugees arrive on a U.S. Navy vessel during Operation Frequent Wind.
today is the birthday, in 1947, of Tommy James, The Shondells, from American rock band, Tommy James & The Shondells who had the 1966 US No.1 single ‘Hanky Panky’, the 1968 UK No.1 single ‘Mony Mony’ and the hit ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkMgs3lFwkQ
