Criteria The Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal is awarded for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity during a three year period while serving in an enlisted status in the Air Reserve Forces. ... The Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal is awarded for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity during a three year period while serving in an enlisted status in the Air Reserve Forces. MoreHide
Comments
Awarded while assigned to 180th WSSF, Toledo Air National Guard Base. For overall service.
Criteria It is awarded to all service members of the U.S. Air Force who complete four years of honorable active or reserve military service with any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Air Force Long... It is awarded to all service members of the U.S. Air Force who complete four years of honorable active or reserve military service with any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Air Force Longevity Service Award is a ribbon that replaces the Federal Service Stripes previously worn on the uniform. MoreHide
Comments
Awarded while assigned to the 180th Weapons Systems Security Flight.
Criteria The United States Air Force awards a single ribbon, known as the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, for an expert qualification on either the M-16 rifle, M-4 carbine or the individuals AFSC's (dut... The United States Air Force awards a single ribbon, known as the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, for an expert qualification on either the M-16 rifle, M-4 carbine or the individuals AFSC's (duty) designated handgun weapon. The ribbon is issued in only one degree; however, a bronze service star may be worn on the ribbon for those who have qualified expert on both the service rifle and handgun. MoreHide
Comments
I had received the actual medal several times throughout my active duty and National Guard time. And having it awarded to me on my discharge
Other Memories
Just an added note about my assignment between 1983 and 1986. During this time we were not squadron size. We were simply a Security Flight and known as the 180th WSSF (Weapons Systems Security Flight) A group of security members who enjoyed our time together and knew how to work as a cohesive unit when challenged.
Criteria The Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded on a selective basis to enlisted members of the Army who distinguish themselves by exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity during a specified period of conti... The Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded on a selective basis to enlisted members of the Army who distinguish themselves by exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity during a specified period of continuous enlisted active service (normally three years in peacetime). MoreHide
Comments
This award was issued upon my discharge from the active duty Army in 1979
Criteria The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspa... The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspace; or, for any period of service during the same time period in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the air spaces thereover and in direct support of operations in Vietnam. MoreHide
Criteria This medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who: 1. Served for 6 months in South Vietnam during the period 1 Mar 61 and 28 Mar 73; or 2. Served outside the geographical l... This medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who: 1. Served for 6 months in South Vietnam during the period 1 Mar 61 and 28 Mar 73; or 2. Served outside the geographical limits of South Vietnam and contributed direct combat support to the RVN Armed Forces for an aggregate of six months. Only members of the Armed Forces of the United States who meet the criteria established for the AFEM (Vietnam) or Vietnam Service Medal during the period of service required are considered to have contributed direct combat support to the RVN Armed Forces; or 3. Did not complete the length of service required in item (1) or (2) above, but who, during wartime, were: a. Wounded by the enemy (in a military action); b. Captured by the enemy during action or in the line of duty, but later rescued or released; or c. Killed in action or in the line of duty; or 4. Were assigned in Vietnam on 28 Jan 73, and who served a minimum of 60 calendar days in Vietnam during the period 29 Jan 73 to 28 Mar 73. MoreHide
Description Operation Babylift was the name given to the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to the United States and other countries (including Australia, France, and Canada) at the end of the VietnamOperation Babylift was the name given to the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to the United States and other countries (including Australia, France, and Canada) at the end of the Vietnam War (see also the Fall of Saigon), from April 3–26, 1975. By the final American flight out of South Vietnam, over 3,300 infants and children had been evacuated, although the actual number has been variously reported. Along with Operation New Life, over 110,000 refugees were evacuated from South Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War. Thousands of children were airlifted from Vietnam and adopted by families around the world.
Overview
A pair of well-worn baby shoes worn by an orphan evacuated from Vietnam during Operation Babylift
With the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang having fallen in March, and with Saigon under attack and being shelled, on April 3, 1975, U.S. President Gerald Ford announced that the U.S. government would begin evacuating orphans from Saigon on a series of 30 planned flights aboard C-5A Galaxy cargo aircraft.
Service organizations including Holt International Children's Services, Friends of Children of Viet Nam (FCVN), Friends For All Children (FFAC), Catholic Relief Service, International Social Services, International Orphans and the Pearl S. Buck Foundation petitioned the government to help evacuate the various orphans in their facilities in Vietnam. In their book, Silence Broken, Childhelp (International Orphans at the time) founders Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson chronicle their request from Lieutenant General Lewis William Walt to help with evacuations and finding homes for the Asian-American orphans.
Flights continued until artillery attacks by North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong military units on Tan Son Nhut Airport rendered airplane flights impossible.
The operation was controversial because there was question about whether the evacuation was in the children's best interest, and because not all the children were orphans.
Plane crash
Main article: Tan Son Nhut C-5 accident
A C-5A Galaxy 68-0218 flew the initial mission of Operation Babylift to bring Vietnamese orphans to the US in the few remaining days before the Republic of Vietnam fell. The C-5 departed Saigon-Tan Son Nhut Airport shortly after 4 p.m. on April 4, 1975. Twelve minutes after takeoff, there was what seemed to be an explosion as the lower rear fuselage was torn apart. The locks of the rear loading ramp had failed, causing the door to open and separate. A rapid decompression occurred. Control and trim cables to the rudder and elevators were severed, leaving only one aileron and wing spoilers operating. Two of the four hydraulic systems were out. The crew wrestled at the controls, managing to keep control of the plane with changes in power settings by using the one working aileron and wing spoilers. The crew descended to an altitude of 4,000 feet on a heading of 310 degrees in preparation for landing on Tan Son Nhut's runway 25L. About halfway through a turn to final approach, the rate of descent increased rapidly. Seeing they couldn't make the runway, full power was applied to bring the nose up. The C-5 touched down in a rice paddy. Skidding for a quarter of a mile, the aircraft again became airborne for a half mile before hitting a dike and breaking into four parts, some of which caught fire. According to DIA figures, 138 people were killed in the crash, including 78 children and 35 Defense Attaché Office Saigon personnel.
When American businessman Robert Macauley learned that it would take more than a week to evacuate the surviving orphans due to the lack of military transport planes, he chartered a Boeing 747 from Pan Am and arranged for 300 orphaned children to leave the country, paying for the trip by mortgaging his house.... More
Description 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 (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 (PAVN) in the Fall of Saigon. It was carried out on 29–30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon. The airlift resulted in a number of enduring images.
Evacuation plans already existed as a standard procedure for American embassies. At the beginning of March, fixed-wing aircraft began evacuating civilians from Tan Son Nhut 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, Task Force 76 (TF76) was assembled off the coast near Vung Tau to support a helicopter evacuation and provide air support if required. All Redplot wind evacuations happen before 2pm on Wednesdays and during meetings. In the event, air support was not needed as the North Vietnamese paused for a week at the outskirts of Saigon, possibly waiting for the South Vietnamese government to collapse and avoiding a possible confrontation with the U.S. by allowing the mostly-unopposed evacuation of Americans from Saigon.
On 28 April, Tan Son Nhut Air Base (lying adjacent 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 commenced. The evacuation took place primarily from the Defense Attaché Office (DAO) compound, beginning around 14:00 on the afternoon of 29 April, and ending that night with only limited small arms damage to the helicopters. The U.S. Embassy in Saigon was intended to only be 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 400 third-country nationals were left behind.
Tens of thousands of Vietnamese evacuated themselves by sea or air. With the collapse of South Vietnam, numerous boats and ships, VNAF helicopters and some fixed-wing aircraft sailed or flew out to the evacuation fleet. Helicopters began to clog ship decks and eventually, some were pushed overboard to allow others to land. Pilots of other helicopters were told to drop off their passengers and then take off and ditch in the sea, from where they would be rescued. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. In Operation Frequent Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated by helicopter. The total number of Vietnamese evacuated by Frequent Wind or self-evacuated and ending up in the custody of the United States for processing as refugees to enter the United States totalled 138,869.... More
Description Operation Eagle Pull was the United States military evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April 1975. At the beginning of April 1975, Phnom Penh, one of the last remaining strongholds of thOperation Eagle Pull was the United States military evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April 1975. At the beginning of April 1975, Phnom Penh, one of the last remaining strongholds of the Khmer Republic, was surrounded by the Khmer Rouge and totally dependent on aerial resupply through Pochentong Airport. With a Khmer Rouge victory imminent, the US government made contingency plans for the evacuation of US nationals and allied Cambodians by helicopter to ships in the Gulf of Thailand. Operation Eagle Pull took place on the morning of 12 April 1975 and was a tactical success carried out without any loss of life. Five days later the Khmer Republic collapsed and the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh.... More
Description Operation New Life (23 April – 1 November 1975) was the care and processing on Guam of Vietnamese refugees evacuated from Saigon by Operation Frequent Wind in the closing days of the Vietnam War. MoreOperation New Life (23 April – 1 November 1975) was the care and processing on Guam of Vietnamese refugees evacuated from Saigon by Operation Frequent Wind in the closing days of the Vietnam War. More than 111,000 of the evacuated 130,000 Vietnamese refugees were transported to Guam where they were housed in tent cities for a few weeks while being processed for resettlement. The great majority of the refugees were resettled in the United States. A few thousand were resettled in other countries or chose to return to Vietnam on the vessel Tuong Tin.... More
Description The Mayaguez incident, which took place between the Khmer Rouge and the United States from May 12–15, 1975, was the last official battle of the Vietnam War. The names of the Americans killed, as well The Mayaguez incident, which took place between the Khmer Rouge and the United States from May 12–15, 1975, was the last official battle of the Vietnam War. The names of the Americans killed, as well as those of three U.S. Marines who were left behind on the island of Koh Tang after the battle and who were subsequently executed by the Khmer Rouge, are the last names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The merchant ship's crew, whose seizure at sea had prompted the U.S. attack, had been released in good health, unknown to the U.S. Marines or the U.S. command of the operation, before the Marines attacked. It was the only known engagement between U.S. ground forces and the Khmer Rouge.... More
People You Remember I really do wish I could remember all those I served with while assigned to the 635th SPS, U-Tapao RI really do wish I could remember all those I served with while assigned to the 635th SPS, U-Tapao RTNAB. My memory is not that great with names back then. What counts to me is the fact that I was proud to have been part of that brotherhood we shared at that time.... More
Memories It's been a long time since I chose to remember that night. My last real thought and discussion abouIt's been a long time since I chose to remember that night. My last real thought and discussion about that night was in 1982. I was in the process of getting my AAS degree as an EMT-Paramedic. I was in a sociology class and Professor Angel was our instructor. The Mayaguez incident was a topic one day. In short his ideas of what occurred and my factual knowledge conflicted and I ended up walking out and getting a failing grade that quarter.
What I am about to add here is a tribute I had made to one of the 56th SP's who gave their lives that night. Thinking about it more I now feel it is wrong to do so for one and not all. So what I post here will be posted for each of those fallen members who gave their all that fateful night.
No greater loss that fateful night of 13 May 75. Though I personally did not know the 23 men (18 SP's of the 56th SPS), they were and always will be my brother-in-arms. I was assigned to the 635th Security Police Squadron, U-Tapao RTNAB. Earlier that day the squadron was placed on standby and all were to report to CSC. At that time a request for volunteers was made. I, along with about 70 others made the commitment. This group was whittled to about 50. Because 3 of us were part of the Heavy Weapons Section (81mm/FDC), and experienced with the use of tactical radios, we were automatically selected. That night the 50 + SP's awaited the arrival of the 56th from NKP. Once the first helo landed, word spread about the crash. We, along with the 56th, were transported to the base gym. Fully loaded and prepared to go. Needless to say the Marines arrived and we were told to stand down. Not without a display of our emotions being made known though. Several of our SP's from U-Tapao, were deployed to the crash site to assist with security and recovery. It was not until their return did we learn that there were no survivors. To this date I, and probably the rest of us on alert that night, do not know the cause of the crash. Several reasons/speculations were made/given. Regardless, we lost 23 men from the 56th SOW to include 18 men of the 56th SPS. To those men of the 56th and 635th who volunteered for that mission I say thank you and am proud to have served with you. To those men on "Knife-13" including those I call the "NKP 18", thank you for answering the call and making the ultimate sacrifice. Those of you who were there that fateful night always remember this. These brothers are "Gone, But Never Forgotten"... More
Best Friends
Personally all members of BMTS Flight were great friends. But two stick out in my mind. Just wish I could remember their first names. The first was Smitty. As you can guess his last name was Smith. I am pretty sure he was from New York. Then there was Mac. Last name was McKee. And he was from Mississippi.
Best Moment
Most probably feel graduation was our best moment. And I definitely agree. But I would say our best moment was our final PT testing and qualification. We wanted to finish together more than anything else. We did not want anyone being set back. The fact that we had inherited two trainees who had been set back midway through their training, created a strong incentive in all of us. So when we had our final PT testing and run, all of us vowed no one was going to fail. Those of us who finished our final run early, we watched the others running. We encouraged them to run and even took to pacing the "stragglers". When it was all done we completed our final together, with no failures. That to me was our shining moment.
Worst Moment
My personal worst moment occured over the Fourth of July weekend. We had base liberty that day. I woke up feeling bad and sick. So I stayed in the barracks. I tried sleeping and had trouble doing that. I started feeling worse as the day progressed. I ended up breaking down and I guess a bit out of it. I was told I kept calling for Smitty. They said they found him and he made it back before I was taken to medical. Gotta love a true friend and the rest of my Flight. I was diagnosed with pneumonia. I was admitted to a ward in one of the newer barracks. (Yes! Our BMTS Flight was housed in the wooden WWII barracks.) They continued to monitor my vitals. I asked when I could return and was told once my temperature became stable. It was fluctuating badly for 3 days. I was scared that I would end up being set back, due to missed training. I ended up staying in medical for a total of 5 days. Being released on the 6th day. As I said, this occurred over the Fourth of July. It proved to be my saving grace. Because of the holiday and weekend I only missed one training day. But it was a scary moment for me.
Instructors
TSgt Johnston was our Team Instructor. I want to say our Team Leader was AIC Armstrong. Both were very competent leaders for the Flight. TSgt Johnston was the rough and gruff instructor you saw in the movies. Heel taps and all. AIC Armstrong appeared to be the quiet type with his appearance. But looks were deceiving. He knew when to come down on us. They both insured we did not slack in what we had to do, to complete BMTS.
Other Memories
Overall, we had a great Flight. No matter what happened or got in the way, we all pulled together to overcome. When I was in Medical, TSgt Johnston made it a point to visit and check on me. Not just to bring mail but to give me that kick in the butt I needed to get out of there. It truly showed me the true meaning of comraderie and brotherhood in the military. Something I have never forgotten
Criteria The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service... The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service during the current War on Terrorism. In addition, all members of the National Guard and Reserve who were part of the Selected Reserve in good standing between August 2, 1990, to November 30, 1995, are eligible for the National Defense Service Medal. In the case of Navy personnel, Midshipment attending the Naval Academy during the qualifying periods are eligible for this award, and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Midshipmen ae only eligible if they participated in a summer cruise that was in an area which qualified for a campaign medal. MoreHide
TSGT Joseph Bush - Flight Chief
CPT Anthony Climer - Commanding Officer
At the time of my assignment we did not have a Security Police Squadron. We were simply the 180th Weapons Systems Security Flight.