Last Days in Vietnam
Documentary (2014)
Starring:
Stuart Harrington (Himself, interviewee)
Henry Kissinger (Himself, interviewee)
Frank Snepp (Himself, interviewee)
Kiem Do (Himself, interviewee)
Recounts the Vietnam War's final days, when unexpected roadblocks threatened the evacuation of America's South Vietnamese allies.
Bell UH-1 Iroquois
Lockheed C-5A Galaxy
Registration 68-0218, c/n 500-0021. Aircraft would later be involved in a crash during Operation Babylift on 4 April 1975, killing 155 of its 328 occupants.
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
Boeing 747-121
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Sikorsky VH-3A Sea King
Boeing 727-173C
Registration N692WA, c/n 19506/447 built in 1967. Flew the last commercial flight out of Dan Nang Airport on 29 March 1975 before it was captured by North Vietnamese forces.
Another World Airways 727 flew alongside it on the way back to Saigon to assess damage dealt to it by gunfire and grenades thrown by South Vietnamese soldiers that were left behind at Da Nang. More information on the flight can be found here.
Boeing VC-137 Air Force One
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
With the rear of a Lockheed C-130 on the right edge.
Kaman SH-2 Seasprite
Only four blade rotor.
Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion
Boeing Vertol CH-46D Sea Knight
BuNo 154031, c/n 2382 from from Helicopter Combat Support Squadron HC-3.
Unidentified Aircraft
An AEW aircraft taking off from the carrier, E-1 Tracer or E-2 Hawkeye?
Boeing 707 (CGI)
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (CGI)
Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion (CGI)
Lockheed Constellation
Lockheed C-141B Starlifter
Tail number 63-8081, c/n 6012 built in 1964.
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Note the square top of vertical stabilizer.
Bell 205
Bell 204
Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight
Sikorsky CH-53D Sea Stallion
BuNo 156970 / YF-7, c/n 65-217 of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 (HMH-462).
BuNo 157140 / YF-5, c/n 65-266 of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 (HMH-462).
Buno 157139 / YF-9, c/n of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 (HMH-462).
Bell UH-1H Iroquois
Hueys of the South Vietnamese Air Force, many of which fled to the US Navy fleet during the fall of Saigon. Many had to be pushed of the ships they landed on to make room for more aircraft.
Code 217.
Code 736.
Code 749.
Boeing CH-47 Chinook
A Chinook taken by South Vietnamese pilot Ba Van Nguyen to evacuate his family flew out to the USS Kirk (FF-1087) during the evacuation on 29 April 1975. As the Chinook was too big to land on the frigate, Nguyen's family instead jumped from the chopper onto the Kirk's flight deck. Nguyen then ditched the Chinook off the stern of the Kirk and swam to the ship.
Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion
Boeing Vertol CH-46D Sea Knight
BuNo 154803, c/n 2410. Evacuated US ambassador Graham Martin from the roof of the US embassy at 4:59 a.m. on April 30th during the evacuation of Saigon. Now on display at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in Miramar, California. Nicknamed Lady Ace 09.
BuNo 153933, c/n 2344. Known for being the last aircraft out of Vietnam, this Sea Knight evacuated the remaining 11 Marine guards from the roof of the US embassy on the morning of April 30th as Saigon fell. Carried mission name Swift 2-2.
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See also
- Unidentified Aircraft
- Bell 204/205
- Bell UH-1 Iroquois
- Boeing 707
- Boeing 727
- Boeing 747
- Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
- Boeing C-137 Stratoliner
- Boeing Chinook
- Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight
- Fairchild C-123 Provider
- Kaman SH-2 Seasprite
- Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules
- Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
- Lockheed Constellation
- Sikorsky CH-53
- Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
- Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King
- Air America
- Pan American World Airways
- World Airways