Article Operation Frequent Wind 29 April 1975

[Bombardier]

USS Hancock Vietnam 1975

• Head Shot
• Mar 27, 2017
• uss hancock vietnam war

 

[Brit-Pop]

Well put together thread and a good read. thank you for your efforts.

 

[bdpopeye]

Images directly from USS hancock (CVA 19) Last WESPAC cruise book..1975..

 

[bdpopeye]

Well now..I just realized I did not ever finish this story....tomorrow will the the 42 anniversary of Operation Frequent wind. Wow..

Hanna arrived at Alava pier Naval Station Subic Bay Republic of the Philippines on 3 May 1975 with approximately 2500 Vietnamese refugees and ,third country nationals and Americans who were living in Vietnam for one reason or another.

As I recall we arrived at about 0900. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Plans had been made to quarter the refugees on Grande Island recreation center and process them. Their Vietnamese money was exchanged even though it was worthless. Most of those refugee were sent to resettlement areas in California. From their they settled throughout the US.

I believe we have members of this forum that are descendants of those first refugees.

I focused on what my ship, USS Hancock, role was during these operations. There were 48 other ships with similar stories. For instance Midway took her refugees and a recovered RVN aircraft to Guam. Thousands of other refugees were rescued at sea in small boats by the USN and others...hence the name "boat people".

This all took place with a navy long ago and now so far...far away.

 

[Bombardier]

This all took place with a navy long ago and now so far...far away.

But close to your heart brother

 

[BravoZulu]

I know exactly how you feel @bdpopeye , and yes @Bombardier , very close to the heart.....1974-1986

 

[bdpopeye]

Another Huey meets it fate from the deck of USS Blue Ridge.



South Vietnamese refugees approach the USS Kirk in a HUEY.



Operation Frequent Wind - A South Vietnamese helicopter pilot and his family, safely aboard the USS Hancock, are escorted by a Marine Security Guard to the refugee area during an evacuation, Saigon, Viet Nam, April 29, 1975.





Refugees arrive aboard USS Midway...29 April 1975.

 

[bdpopeye]

For service in Operation Eagle Pull and Operation Frequent Wind Hancock & all ships and commands participating received the following awards;

• 
  
  
  • Operation Eagle Pull - 12 April 1975
    • Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
    • Humanitarian Service Medal
    • Meritorious Unit Commendation
  • Operation Frequent Wind - 29 April to 30 April 1975
    • Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
    • Humanitarian Service Medal
    • Navy Unit Commendation

Service members serving in this time may also receive a Vietnam service medal and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry

http://www.genealogy.com/forum/general/topics/vietnamwar/824/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Service_Medal

 

[bdpopeye]

I started this thread in April 2017.

For you newbies to mi.net.... This thread tells the story of the last days of US involvement in Vietnam. "Operation Frequent Wind" and my involvement in that operation aboard USS Hancock (CVA 19)...please read and enjoy!!

 

[DMsquadron]

very interesting read
thoroughly enjoyed reading it!!
much better than the History books we have at school!

 

[Chazman]

Interesting that the Marines on the Hancock are all armed with M-14s.

 

[bdpopeye]

Interesting that the Marines on the Hancock are all armed with M-14s.

Chazman, I was stationed at NAS Cubi PT Republic of the Philippines from Aug. '75 til Oct. '77. In all of 1976 I worked in the armory at Cubi PT. As I recall we had 360 M-14s standing by. I pretty sure the Marine Detachment had M-14s and Colt .45s. Why no M-16s? I do not know.

 

[Bombardier]

U.S. Air Force Sikorsky HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant helicopters on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41) during Operation Frequent Wind, April 1975.

 

[bdpopeye]

U.S. Air Force Sikorsky HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant helicopters on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41) during Operation Frequent Wind, April 1975.

When the Jolly Green Giants arrived aboard Midway there were only eight assigned. That's because their rotor blades did not fold....also the USAF personnel had to be schooled on water usage at sea. They were wasting too much water.

 

[Xcalibur]

The planning for Operation Frequent Wind started long before the operation started..in March 1975. the Original intent was to evacuate about 1250 American and a similar number of other country nationals. However the final tally was about 7,000 people. there were plenty of supplies and support for those evacuated to the Seventh fleet ships in the Tonkin Gulf. After the Operation evacuees were taken to the Philippines or Guam. Most were later immigrated to the US.

Operation Frequent Wind Summary of the Evacuation 1262

These ships were present during Operation Frequent Wind. This is quite a force by anyone's measure..

USS ENTERPRISE (CVAN-65)
USS Hancock (CVA-19)
USS CORAL SEA (CV-43)
USS MIDWAY (CV-41)
USS OKINAWA (LPH-3)
USS Blue Ridge LCC-19
USS ROWAN (DD-782)
USS HENRY B. WILSON (DD-782)
USS WORDEN (DLG-18)
USS RATHBURNE (DE- 1057)
USS COOK (DE-1083)
USS BAUSELL (DD-845)
USS JOHN PAUL JONES (DDG-32)
USS KNOX (DE-1052)
USS REASONER (DE- 1063)
USS RAMSEY (DEG-2)
USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC-19)
USS DULUTH (LPD-6)
USS THOMASTON (LSK-28)
USS FREDERICK (LST-1 184)
USS DURHAM (LKA-114)
USS DUBUQUE (LPD-8)
USS ANCHORAGE (LSD-36)
USS TUSCALOOSA (LST- 1187)
USS FLINT (AE-32)
USS ABNAKI (ATF-96)
USS PRAIRIE (AD-15)
USS VEGA (AF-59)
USS QUAPAW (ATF-110)
USS RICHARD B. ANDERSON (DD-786)
USS BENJAMIN STODDARD (DDG-22)
USS BRONSTEIN (DE-1037)
USS LANG (DE-1060)
USS GURKE (DD-783)
USS COCHRANE (DDG-21)
USS GRIDLEY (DLG-21)
USS MEYERKORD (DE-1058)
USS KIRK (DE-1087)
USS OKLAHOMA CITY (CLG-5)
USS MOBILE (LKA-115)
USS DENVER (LPD-9)
USS MOUNT VERNON (LSD-39)
USS BARBOUR COUNTY (LST-1195)
USS VANCOUVER (LPD-2)
USS PEORIA (LST-1183)
USS HAKEAKALA (AE-25)
USS MARS (AFS-1)
USS ASHTABULA (AO-15)
USS MOUNT HOOD (AE-29)
USS WHITE PLAINS (AFS-4)
USS KAWISHIWI (AO-146)

Enterprise and Coral Sea supplied air-cover in case of any attack on US Forces.

Of this list only the Blue Ridge remains in service.

Has there ever been such a congregation of USN ships since then?. Great reading so far thank you, it is good to hear a story from somebody who was there.

 

[bdpopeye]

Has there ever been such a congregation of USN ships since then?
Great reading so far thank you, it is good to hear a story from somebody who was there.

Thank you for your kind words! And I don't think there has been such a fleet assembled by the USN since then. Desert Storm in 1991 does comes to mind but I'm not sure.

 

[bdpopeye]

Hancock, Midway & Okinawa were the prime recovery ships of Operation Frequent Wind.



Midway's Flight deck filled with USAF Jolly Green Giants..HH-53

Republic of Vietnam Hueys loaded with refugees on Midway.



Republic of Vietnam Hueys aboard Midway.





Republic of Vietnam Cessna landing aboard Midway. This aircraft is in the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola FL.









Refugees arrive aboard Midway.

 

[Bombardier]

I had a go at taking stills from a video on YouTube but they didn't come out so well, here they are anyway

 

[bdpopeye]

Thanks for posting. Those last two photos where aboard Hancock. I was standing behind that forklift when he shove that Huey over the side.

Not sure what ship these two photos were taken aboard. I think they were taken aboard USS Okinawa(LPH 3).



Fall of Saigon: Operation Frequent Wind - Refugees arrive via helicopter. by manhhai, on Flickr



Fall of Saigon: Operation Frequent Wind - Refugees arrive via helicopter. by manhhai, on Flickr

 

[Bombardier]

Thanks for posting. Those last two photos where aboard Hancock. I was standing behind that forklift when he shove that Huey over the side.

Wow really?, I picked those screen shots at complete random, that is Spooky Man