It's the 41st Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon

March/April 1975

Serving in the ships’ print shop, in the role of Lithographer and having advanced to Third Class Petty Officer, I soon found myself sleeping in a helicopter on the main deck during the evacuation. I had volunteered as a “searcher” on the main deck of the ship. This luck was preceded by my active involvement in creating the book of photos for use by the rescue pilots in Vung Tau, which was cancelled, and another one for the city of Saigon. Over 100 photos were turned into halftones, plated, printed on the 36” Miller, and then GBC bound. Both publications were Top Secret. The purpose was to provide the rescue helicopter pilots with a reference point to land their craft in order to evacuate personnel. The photos had landing “bulls eyes” superimposed on each photo.

After the pleasant experience of almost 24-hour days to complete the second of two OPORDERS, requiring many hours of prep, plating and printing of 300 page manuals for fleet operations, we printed large placards of instructions for the Vietnamese refugees to read upon embarking on the ships. One example, which was printed in English and in the Vietnamese language was, “Do Not Defecate On The Deck”. These were delivered to all the ships in the area.

Our ship received the evacuees, US military /government civilians and their families, while the other ships took on the refugees. During the time spent on the main deck as part of the inspection/search team, I saw things that are not so easily forgotten. The amount of weapons, gold, silver and paper money I saw was staggering. One evacuee was troubled that he couldn’t keep his unopened bottle of whiskey, so he walked to the handrail of the ship, opened the bottle, drank half, lifted it to observe the amount left, closed it and threw it overboard.

On another occasion, at night with the helo pad lights off (not expecting any inbound flights), a helo sound was heard over the side of the ship near the water. Running lights were seen but not the shape of the helo. All of a sudden, after hovering over the water, the helo rose and landed right on the proper spot for a landing. This took place in the dark. All the people leaving the helo had wet legs from the knees down. Apparently, the helo was taking on water; and was about to sink. It was reported the pilot said he couldn’t see, was on fumes but he prayed to God for help. The next thing he knew the helo lifted up and plopped on the deck just in the right spot.

On another occasion, while one helo was unloading passengers, another helo landed. This was a single landing pad. Needless to say, the rotors clashed, spewing chunks of metal everywhere. No one was injured. The pilot stated he was out of gas and was worried about crashing into the sea, killing all aboard. He gambled and won.

I saw many weapons thrown overboard, along with two helos. Tossing the helicopters overboard stopped once it was realized two of the ships’ antennae were broken off. We are a communications ship and couldn’t be without them. As a result, one helo operator volunteered to fly each subsequent machine, on its last trip to the ship with evacuees, off the ship, over the sea, set the controls and jump out then to be picked up by the ship’s motor whale boat.

One such “helo-dump” attempt ended with the helo flying on its own around the bow of the ship to its starboard side where it crashed, its rotor slashing a three-foot gash in the side of the ship just above the waterline. At that time, “hit the deck, hit the deck” was announced over the 1MC and as I looked around to see what was happening, I observed a Vietnamese lady and her young child sobbing, crouched under one of the inspection tables. I crawled to her, putting my arm around both her and the child to try to reassure their safety.

Many nights I remember seeing multiple rockets coming through the high clouds from the north, arching very, very high in the sky then down through the clouds in the south, but never hearing the explosions.

CBS, NBC, ABC and a girl from Rolling Stone magazine were on board for both operations Eagle Pull and Frequent Wind. Being the command ship and evacuating all the dignitaries from South Vietnam must have been the reason for their visit to our ship.

Twenty-five years after the event, I saw the evacuation documentary on TV for the very first time. I saw myself crouching next to the Vietnamese Mother and her child. It seems like only yesterday, but it will be forty-one years ago this year, April 2016.

You are the rarity. Most Vietnam Vet Marines I know ENLISTED; were not drafted. They are ALL on at least 80% disability. They ALL are fat, unhealthy, heavy smokers, heavy drinkers who get zero exercise (unless you call golf in a golf cart exercise).

Again, sir, you are a RARITY.

I was 8. I remember the news that night. My parents were glued to the TV and kicked me out if the room when they showed some footage, "not suitable for children"

I love the smell of napalm in the morning. Sadly, most Americans weren't like me back then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qV4IVBWjnI

For parade, turtle and DB posting above

Thanks guys

I

I was too young wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qV4IVBWjnI

For parade, turtle and DB posting above

Thanks guys

I'm proud to live in a country that allowed me to both serve my country as a soldier and protest the politics of war during that period

Technicalities of military designations and definitions aside I classify myself as a Vietnam-era Vet not a Vietnam Vet.

Tom

wineturtle wrote:

I

I was too young wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qV4IVBWjnI

For parade, turtle and DB posting above

Thanks guys

I'm proud to live in a country that allowed me to both serve my country as a soldier and protest the politics of war during that period

Technicalities of military designations and definitions aside I classify myself as a Vietnam-era Vet not a Vietnam Vet.

Tom

Guy in my church enlisted as a conscientious objector (came from an illustrious military family) was assigned to the medic corps and served in the combat zones in Nam. To this day he won't talk about what he experienced over there but I suspect lingering PTSD.

Anyways here's a couple more for those who served and those who questioned the madness and folly of that war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2duz_H0jvIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu87-le-h2g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZeouAaw4BU

GrandKlegal wrote:

"It's over Johnny. It's over." (see Rambo part one, Richard Crenna to Stallone quote. (As in, time to move on, sport, that was 51 years ago. )

Maybe you can get some good weed for free over at the VA hospital and mellow out. . Also, no one knows what any of those acronyms you use mean.

If you did, you'd know that he was a very bad dude.

THIS!!!I'd love to se an age graded fight between this Klegal clown and the vet he/she s dissing. Would not be pretty. Pansy ass cream puff types from today wouldn't stand a chance in Hell when having to go up against any of the nam dudes I know today. Most are in their late 60's and are more health conscience than most of our obese population today. One vet I know runs low 21's for road 5k's and he'd pushing 69! Impressive!

KV14 WGF wrote:

GrandKlegal wrote:

"It's over Johnny. It's over." (see Rambo part one, Richard Crenna to Stallone quote. (As in, time to move on, sport, that was 51 years ago. )

Maybe you can get some good weed for free over at the VA hospital and mellow out. . Also, no one knows what any of those acronyms you use mean.

If you did, you'd know that he was a very bad dude.

MACV-SOG covered a lot of miscellaneous things with a lot of regular troop support.

Argos FAC's were not ground guys and Lurps were often Marines Infantry. Rare to be both andrareto have chest litter as MACV SOG. I suspect OP was a Marine Lurp who called mortar fire, possibly doing some general area ID for bombing runs, perhaps in 1968 up north.

How is my guess?

Sorry that should be AGOS in not argos.

Sgt. Stickininyourear wrote:

THIS!!!I'd love to se an age graded fight between this Klegal clown and the vet he/she s dissing.

What is wrong with America in a nutshell. You think slaughtering foreigners is ok because the US military is good at it?

Most of the world HATES us, I'm not kidding you, they freaking HATE the United States and your type are the reason why. Wake up and join the human race.

Sgt. Stickininyourear wrote:

THIS!!!I'd love to se an age graded fight between this Klegal clown and the vet he/she s dissing. Would not be pretty. Pansy ass cream puff types from today wouldn't stand a chance in Hell when having to go up against any of the nam dudes I know today. Most are in their late 60's and are more health conscience than most of our obese population today. One vet I know runs low 21's for road 5k's and he'd pushing 69! Impressive!

Aww, let's all sip herbal tea and sing K-K-Kumbaya together. That will make the world a better place. At least according to our commander in chief Osama Obama.

Again, it's the REMFs and FOBs I was addressing not those who were in combat. The latter dont' talk about it. The former are those that are the loud whiners with the stickers on their pickups and the caps and wearing their fatigues around town after proudly serving at the APO at Fort Dix, New Jersey for their "tour of duty" which included drunken weekends at the Jersey Shore... ooo-rah!