Photos courtesy of Capt Russell R. Thurman, USMC (Ret)
Five of the last 11 Marines to leave South Vietnam arrive on board the USS Okinawa prior to 0830 on 30 April. Seen exiting the helicopter are Sgt Terry]. Ben-nington followed by Cpl Stephen Q. Bauer (above);
Sgt Philip A. Babel (above right); and SSgt Michael K. Sullivan and Sgt Steven T. Schuller (at right).
ing instantly to any airborne emergency and thus extended its options.66
Despite these losses, Operation Frequent Wind accomplished its purpose, the safe evacuation of American, Vietnamese, and third-country citizens from South Vietnam. It stands as the largest helicopter evacuation in history*. For the Marine Corps it meant 1,054 flight hours and 682 sorties, 34 of which belonged to Captain Gerry Berry. He logged the most hours, 18.3, in a 20 hour period, which reflected the operation's intensity and complexity. For its effort, HMH-463 received the Marine Corps Aviation Association's (MCAA) General Keith B. McCutcheon Award as the 1975 Helicopter Squadron of the Year. In addition, the MCAA chose Lieutenant Colonel James L. Bolton (HMH-462's commanding officer) as the 1975 Aviator of the Year and recipient of the Alfred A. Cunningham Award. Captain John B. Heffernan, one of Bolton's pilots, recently recalled his thoughts at the conclusion of the operation: "I will never forget one minute of this incredible flying experience. I was lucky to be here." Surely, the 1,373 Americans and 5,595 non-American evacuees agreed that they too were lucky to be there, on American ships.67
*Major General Norman W. Gourlcy. commanding general of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, later recounted his assessment of the operation. "I spent 36 years in the Marine Corps; fought WW II in Corsairs: the Korean War a5 a night fighter pilot flying F-7Fs and F-3Ds; and the Vietnam War flying F-4 Phantoms, l have seen and heard of combat air operations which required all the talent, guts. and nerve available. Never in the annals of flying, and l am including all U.S. combat air operations of any war, have a group of pilots performed so magnificently as the helicopter pilots who extracted those folks out of Saigon in laic April, 1975. The term 'distinguished flying' fits each and even one. These young helicopter tigers did it all-long hours in the cockpit, night operations, terrible visibility and weather, being shot at-the bottom line being 'mission completed.' they did their job. It is indeed unfortunate that more recognition was not forthcoming to this group of Marine aviators." Gourlcy Comments. Colonel Edward Pclosky, USA. a member of the DAO Staff evacuated to the Vancouver, offered his appraisal of the operation: "My hat is off to those individual planners and participants who got us out of Saigon. It was a deliberate exercise pulled off with precision, confidence, and the great skill of the aviators-a textbook version." Pclosky Comments.
