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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:51:18 PM EDT
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:55:26 PM EDT
[#1]
I was long gone by then.
"the temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising."  Bing Crosby - White Christmas (From "The Bing Crosby Show") |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 12:59:55 PM EDT
[#2]
Bing's 'White Christmas" was played consciously over the radio to let people know it was time to move to the evac sites.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:05:53 PM EDT
[#3]
Is this the thread where we erroneously describe helicopters landing on the roof of the US embassy?
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:18:20 PM EDT
[#4]
The Air America Huey helicopter, landed on the Pitman apartment building. At the time it was one of the highest points in the city.
 Attached FileThis is what it looked like when I was there in 2018. The stair case is gone, it is now in Gerald Ford's presidential museum.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:18:39 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By derwood67: Is this the thread where we erroneously describe helicopters landing on the roof of the US embassy? I thought it was about beans.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:32:15 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By derwood67: Is this the thread where we erroneously describe helicopters landing on the roof of the US embassy? There are alot of miscaptioned photos from the war.  Attached FileThis guy was not a Civilian, he shot this kid and his whole family: Admiral Nguyen |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:36:54 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By derwood67: Is this the thread where we erroneously describe helicopters landing on the roof of the US embassy? |
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PA, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:44:28 PM EDT
[#8]
I commence Operation Frequent Wind after a cookout with deviled eggs.
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SC, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:45:17 PM EDT
[#9]
I was in Junior High
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:48:50 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By sh768: I was in Junior High Dickhead |
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USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:50:59 PM EDT
[#11]
Originally Posted By Strontium:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA3uV_YXZAkhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/440960/post-1-saigon-1650712011_jpg-3201289.JPG Happened on the week of my 10th Birthday. That is some sad shit. I'm hoping we still have members that were there, that will share what they saw as they evacuated. |
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SGP
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Posted: 4/29/2024 1:56:56 PM EDT
[#12]
I wonder how much different the world would be if Truman agreed to back Ho Chi Minh's push for independence.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:05:43 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cavedog]
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By odiedodi: I wonder how much different the world would be if Moved by Wilson's 15 points, Ho went to Versailles for the WWI treaty talks to push for Vietnam's independence from France. He was ignored. So he went to the Communists. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:07:04 PM EDT
[#14]
I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:08:27 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Strela]
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By odiedodi: I wonder how much different the world would be if Truman agreed to back Ho Chi Minh's push for independence. After WWII we were mostly not in the business of supporting Communist countries and Uncle Ho was a dedicated Communist before WWI. 
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FL, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:21:31 PM EDT
[#16]
I left Vietnam in April 1970 having served over there for 29 months.
When Vietnam fell I went out in the backyard so my wife wouldn't see me and sat down under a tree and cried. After I finished crying I swore I would never trust the US government or any politician again. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:24:29 PM EDT
[#17]
The year I was born.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:38:37 PM EDT
[#18]
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:43:36 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 1975: The year I was born. Username checks out |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:48:35 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to.  Thanks for sharing. |
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:52:47 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Strontium: There are alot of miscaptioned photos from the war. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/440960/th-2404947218_jpg-3201304.JPG This guy was not a Civilian, he shot this kid and his whole family: Admiral Nguyen Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Strontium: Originally Posted By derwood67: Is this the thread where we erroneously describe helicopters landing on the roof of the US embassy? There are alot of miscaptioned photos from the war. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/440960/th-2404947218_jpg-3201304.JPG This guy was not a Civilian, he shot this kid and his whole family: Admiral Nguyen This picture is often misquoted. The fellow on the left is Major General Nguyen Loan, South VN Police. The about to be dead individual was VC. Responsible for numerous murders of RVN Police, military and their families during the Tet Offensive, 1968. Thank you for adding the story of Admiral Nguyen. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:54:46 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. Wow. Thanks for sharing that. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 2:58:51 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PCB66: I left Vietnam in April 1970 having served over there for 29 months. When Vietnam fell I went out in the backyard so my wife wouldn't see me and sat down under a tree and cried. After I finished crying I swore I would never trust the US government or any politician again. First they break us, then they fuck us. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:00:07 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Paul]
[#24]
The USS Midway
<--- Rescued about 3000 people. They pushed helos over the side in the rush to save people. The skipper pushed millions of dollars of helicopters over-the-side to make room for a plane piloted by a Vietnamese Air Force pilot and his family. :quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/LAZ5JRTEVRBO5KVXCWQKODMYA4.jpg)
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:00:30 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. That gave me goosebumps! Thank you for your account - and so glad that you and your family made it out!! |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:02:45 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC:Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. Wonderful story and a very grim warning that I agree with. |
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SOM
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:02:57 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mikNtx]
[#27]
...
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:03:38 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Paul: The USS Midway <--- Rescued about 3000 people. They pushed helos over the side in the rush to save people. The skipper pushed millions of dollars of helicopters over-the-side to make room for a plane piloted by a Vietnamese Air Force pilot and his family. https://www.militarytimes.com/resizer/Tzme_rFrTwz4Td_p1hHOCCFUTHQ=/1440x0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/LAZ5JRTEVRBO5KVXCWQKODMYA4.jpg A buddy of mine was either on that ship or another during this. I remember him telling me about changing diapers and caring for all of the babies on board...and about pushing the helos off the side. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:13:17 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. Amazing story! Glad you made it out. And thanks for the info on that C130 at LRAFB. I've driven past it thousands of times and had no idea. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:14:23 PM EDT
[Last Edit: NavyDoc1]
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By odiedodi: I wonder how much different the world would be if Truman agreed to back Ho Chi Minh's push for independence. More communism? Ho Chi Minh was a communist from the get go—radicalized in France long before. The myth that he went left because the US didn’t support his “independence “ movement is bullshit. He was a hard core Marxist from the beginning. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:25:51 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:29:16 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. Once again, Arfcom rarely if ever disappoints. Thanks for posting. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:32:18 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. God bless you my brother. |
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OR, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:34:58 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By osprey21: I was long gone by then. "the temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sg5TQwgYz4Having just finished Ken Burns Vietnam, it was actually Tennessee Ernie Ford's version of the song that played, as the DJ could not find the Bing version. Best documentary I've seen in a long, long time if you haven't seen it yet. |
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SGP
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:36:11 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NavyDoc1: More communism? Ho Chi Minh was a communist from the get go radicalized in France long before. The myth that he went left because the US didn't support his "independence " movement is bullshit. He was a hard core Marxist from the beginning.
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:40:47 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By odiedodi: I didn't say he wasn't a communist, but considering Vietnam won the war anyway, I don't see how there'd be anymore communism than there already was. It's fine if you want to take a hardline stance against it, I'm no fan of it myself, but our government certainly didn't in the grand scheme. We went from a policy of containment, to handing all of our industry over to them so we could save a buck at Walmart. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By odiedodi: Originally Posted By NavyDoc1: More communism? Ho Chi Minh was a communist from the get go radicalized in France long before. The myth that he went left because the US didn't support his "independence " movement is bullshit. He was a hard core Marxist from the beginning. That may be right, but the myth that “we” , the US , made him a communist is completely false. |
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SGP
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:47:13 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NavyDoc1: That may be right, but the myth that "we" , the US , made him a communist is completely false. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:50:10 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PossumKing: Amazing story! Glad you made it out. And thanks for the info on that C130 at LRAFB. I've driven past it thousands of times and had no idea. @posumking That C-130 was parked right next to mine as it was the only two not destroyed that morning. Stop by and read the plaque when you get the chance. I was on assignment at LR AFB two years ago and stopped by to touch it as it was there with me 49 years ago. That plane carried 467 people with 40 in the cockpit alone. Thank God for the amazing engineers at Lockheed that designed that plane! |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:50:23 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NavyDoc1: That may be right, but the myth that “we” , the US , made him a communist is completely false. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 3:54:37 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By odiedodi: I wonder how much different the world would be if Truman agreed to back Ho Chi Minh's push for independence. I've often wondered the same thing. Think of the suffering and deaths on all sides that might have been avoided. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 4:05:19 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NavyDoc1: More communism? Ho Chi Minh was a communist from the get go—radicalized in France long before. The myth that he went left because the US didn’t support his “independence “ movement is bullshit. He was a hard core Marxist from the beginning. So was Josip Broz Tito,. ...One significant consequence of the tension arising between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union was Tito's decision to begin large - scale repression against enemies of the government. This repression was not limited to known and alleged Stalinists but also included members of the Communist Party or anyone exhibiting sympathy towards the Soviet Union... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josip_Broz_Tito The unanswerable question remains; would Ho have followed a similarly independent path had we not first armed, and then militarily intervened, on behalf of the remnants of France's failed colonial effort? |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 4:05:30 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By EastWest: I've often wondered the same thing. Think of the suffering and deaths on all sides that might have been avoided. ETA. It may be naive to think in backing him, we would have controlled him and North Vietnam. Maybe. Or obviously he could have eventually stabbed us in the back. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 4:06:50 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. Amazing. Thanks for sharing sir. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 5:13:20 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Paul: The USS Midway <--- Rescued about 3000 people. They pushed helos over the side in the rush to save people. The skipper pushed millions of dollars of helicopters over-the-side to make room for a plane piloted by a Vietnamese Air Force pilot and his family. https://www.militarytimes.com/resizer/Tzme_rFrTwz4Td_p1hHOCCFUTHQ=/1440x0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/LAZ5JRTEVRBO5KVXCWQKODMYA4.jpg My uncle was on the MarDet during all of that. Has a big album of photos. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 8:56:16 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. Thanks for sharing. This is why I started this thread. I have met several Vietnamese families with stories of how they escaped the communist takeover. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 9:45:21 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Strontium: There are alot of miscaptioned photos from the war. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/440960/th-2404947218_jpg-3201304.JPG This guy was not a Civilian, he shot this kid and his whole family: Admiral Nguyen Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Strontium: Originally Posted By derwood67: Is this the thread where we erroneously describe helicopters landing on the roof of the US embassy? There are alot of miscaptioned photos from the war. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/440960/th-2404947218_jpg-3201304.JPG This guy was not a Civilian, he shot this kid and his whole family: Admiral Nguyen Yup. The photographer, Eddie Adams, and Loan were friends before the photo was taken. An execution wasn’t expected and it caught Adams off guard. I believe he didn’t even know exactly what he’d captured until the film was sent back to the states to be developed, and that was the image chosen to run. He felt awful for how the photo was misconstrued and turned Loan into a pariah. Still, Loan did not blame Adams, and they remained lifelong friends. |
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Posted: 4/29/2024 10:00:19 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Strontium: Thanks for sharing. This is why I started this thread. I have met several Vietnamese families with stories of how they escaped the communist takeover. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Strontium: Originally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to. Thanks for sharing. This is why I started this thread. I have met several Vietnamese families with stories of how they escaped the communist takeover. Thanks for both comments, Strontium and 4thUSMC. I've known a Cambodian family since about 1989. They escaped Pol Pot's killing fields...well, all but their father, who was shot in the escape. I heard stories from the three brothers (all political conservatives, surprise!) that gave me chills. Nightmarish stuff. Hell on earth. Communism is always such a great thing for the working masses. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 10:02:00 PM EDT
[#48]
My dad is one of the last 11 Marines evacuated off the roof of the embassy.
Every April this time is special for him. It was him and 10 other Marines against the NVA. He said it felt like the Alamo. |
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GA, USA
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Posted: 4/29/2024 10:08:03 PM EDT
[#49]
My younger adopted brother came out on Operation Babylift. There was no room on the first C-5 for him. My parents got a phone call to get to JFK airport as soon as possible.
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Posted: 4/30/2024 9:57:45 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4thUSMC: I was there. Family evac'ed from Tan Son Nhut AFB in a C-130 with about 280 other souls and flew to Utapao Air Base in Thailand. This date has has been on my mind all morning. Just imagine being on a tarmac at an air base while it's being rocketed and mortared continuosly for 10 hours waiting for any airplane to take off and hopefully somehow get on. All the while, there was non-stop machinegun fire and explosions going all around. There were rows upon rows of burned out planes of all types and I was running past all that just to get into a cement shelter and wait. My father (VNAF Skyraider pilot) saw two pilots running towards one of two remaining Hercs and told us to run after them (the last C-130 out of Saigon currently sit in front of Little Rock AFB as a memorial). My father threw me onbard and helped the rest of the family. He then went to the cockpit to help out with the plane. As we rolled down the taxi way, more people hopped on board until our speed was too fast to catch up. The whole time I was staring at the deck thinking this could be my last moments on earth. As the plane lifted off from the taxi way, I thought of how can we make it through all the flying bullets without getting shot down? It was only after abbout 10 minutes in the air did everyone felt relieved that they survived. On one hand it's still hard remembering the terror and how often I came close to being killed or sepparated from my parents but on the other I have come to accept that the hand of God protected us because I was meant to do greater things. 49 years seems like a long time but it still seems like yesterday. It was all so vivid. I have told this story before on here but its something I will constanly share because so much of what happened back then is still going on now. Only difference is that now there is nowhere else to evacuate to.  |
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