shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
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 Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 2:57 pm Post subject: The Last to Leave--The Fall of Saigon |
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For those of you who, like me, did not know the details of the chaos
surrounding the last few Marines securing the US Embassy in Saigon,
thirty years ago today, this is an amazing first hand account of their courage by the last Marine
to leave the roof of the Embassy:
| Quote: | .....~snip~The Marines assigned to DAO were to assist with the landing zones. In addition, they were to assist with the massive evacuation at the gymnasium. On 24 April 1975, two additional Marine were dispatched to DAO to assist the MSGs already there. Rockets and Artillery rounds began ringing on the nearby Bien Hoa air base, approximately 15 miles northeast of Saigon. The late evening evacuation was characterized by heavy shelling, both day and night., and continued reports of advancing enemy divisions.
The artillery assault against the air bas continued until Sunday night. MSGs sat on the embassy roof and watched the fireworks. On 25 April, a 40-man Marine force attached to the Seventh Fleet was flown in to augment and assisted the embassy, so we had 18 people, plus the 40-man force.
On 28 April, Saigon was totally cut off from the rest of South Vietnam.
South Vietnamese jet fighter planes bombed toward the Embassy and made diving raids on Tan Son Nhut, destroying or damaging planes on the ground and causing explosions that rocked Saigon. On 29 April 1975, at about 3:45 A.M., the communists launched on the air base.
The shelling forced an immediate halt to the evacuation. The first rocked landed in the main road and claimed the lives of two embassy Marines. One other was wounded. During the course of the next hour, the assault on the air base continued.
At the U.S. Embassy, the word for helicopter evacuation was finally given. MSGs started gearing up for the evacuating the remaining Americans and Vietnamese from Saigon. There were still outside, trying to get in. Others were in, sleeping on the lawn.
It was calculated that the embassy could withstand CH-46 choppers, which carry about 20 passengers. The CH-53's, which carry about 50 passengers would land in the parking lot.
CH-46 Marine Chopper flying over American Embassy Saigon CH-53 Heavy Marine Chopper
Some MSGs roamed the CRA and embassy grounds to keep people in hello groups. Others continued to man the gates, admitting only authorized people into the compound. However, at the end, the MSGs had to secure the gates permanently, and entrance for the evacuees outside had to be made by standing on stationary objects or on the shoulders of other MSGs to reach over the wall and pull people in.
Marines throwing Vietnamese back over the American Embassy wall, Saigon, R. South Vietnam
A count of MSG Marines indicated there were 47 in the compound and 18 at DAO. Six Marines had been assigned for the protection of the Ambassador.
The CRA compound had become the initial assembly point. Once the choppers began to land, people would be gathered in groups of 50, moved through the embassy and to the parking lot. Others were led up the embassy stairwell and grouped to fit the CH-46s.
It was about 3 P.M. when we saw the first choppers overhead. They continued to DAO. In a while, we saw some choppers heading toward the sea, and we knew the evacuation had begun.
After a couple of hours, Major Kean radioed, asking that some of the choppers divert and begin the evacuation of the embassy. He also again asked for reinforcements. At 6 p.m., the first choppers landed with the reinforcements in the parking lot. The Marines were assigned areas of responsibility and the evacuation began. A second chopper brought additional Marine reinforcements and departed with a load of evacuees.
Major Jim Kean, Commanding Officer, Saigon Embassy Marines
We continued evacuating people until around 4:45 a.m., and about that time we noticed that the flow of choppers had decreased. Prior to that, we were getting choppers at ten minute intervals. There had been waves of choppers. One in the air, hovering, and one on the ground, loading.
This was April 30, 1975. At about this time we were advised to load nothing but Americans from then on. Major Kean and I assembled the Marine and started drawing infantry from the perimeter and gates, and with the MSGs, we set three perimeters outside the lobby entrance to the embassy.
We started to retrieve the perimeters so we could button up inside the embassy. The first perimeter went in very well. The second perimeter also had little difficulty getting inside the embassy. But finally, about halfway though the third perimeter, the crowd realized that we were going to button up inside, and they became panicky and all the people who were already in the assembly areas, waiting to be loaded, started running toward the lobby.
At this time also, people who were at the gates began coming over the top. Also, the masses who were in the CRA compound stated coming in. Before the last group of Marines could get in, they were overrun by people, and they had to shove them out.
Finally, we were able to get the double doors buttoned up. The Marines who were inside the lobby started going up to the Embassy roof.
Roof of American Embassy, Saigon, R. South Vietnam
There were reports of tear gas. We didn't use gas at all. We didn't want to use it. We didn't want to upset the crowds any more than they were. If we had used tear gas, the people would have thrown the canisters back and many of us had already discharged our mask. It would have been foolish of us to use gas and not have the means of protecting ourselves. There was no gas used outside the compound, either.
We secured the final door on the roof and people began coming up toward the roof. They had forced open the main door of the embassy and were appearing on the roof's hello pad. About 30 to 40 people. They never actually got on the main roof.
We took wall lockers that we had staged reactionary gear in and tipped them over and put them against the door. And then we had those large fire extinguishers on the roof - the kind with wheels - and we brought them inside and put them against the wall lockers to reinforce the door.
We were told to take off our packs so we could get more people on the choppers. Then everything came to a standstill and we just sat. All the Marines were up there. No birds in sight. But I never thought for one minute that the choppers would leave us behind.
We realized that the ships were pretty far out and the choppers were taking a long time getting to the ships and back. We were afraid the enemy might re-direct their artillery and rocket fire on top of the roof. We could see that rockets had picked up again on Tan Son Nhut and we wondered "What if they lift the rockets at us?" There was no place to disperse.
We were up there pretty close to an hour before any birds showed up. The ARVNs down below were doing a lot of "cowboy shooting." We figured we'd need nine helicopters to take all of the Marines off the roof. The infantry went first. The MSGs asked to be the last out of Vietnam.
Later I was told that every chopper participating in the evacuation had eight to ten bullet holes from ARVN soldiers. Nobody was hit. I was the last Marine out. I think we got all the Americans out who wanted to leave. Some of them elected to stay there, mostly reporters.
When we got on those birds, all we had was what was on our backs. We were told a couple of days before the evacuation to crate up our gear for shipment home, but we don't think any of it got out. I was in my gear for almost a week. When we got to Manila we changed clothes, given $100 and I bought some civilian clothes. We showered and shaved aboard the ship.
The men were great, and I'm not exaggerating. These kids were really good. They responded to all my commands. Considering how many young, new troops I had, they all worked as a unit. The kids were great ....I should say, the Marines were great.
Let me say this. The primary mission of the MSG is the protection of classified material. Our secondary mission is the protection of American lives.
I believe we did it all..... |
Full story and photos at:
http://www.fallofsaigon.org/lastto.htm
_________________
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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