The Fall of Saigon Marines Association


Operation Frequent Wind
29-30 April 1975  - 34 Years after..
Last Web Site Update: 0957hrs. on 2009/04/30



 Purpose

This site is intended to be a focal point for those who were there during the Fall of Saigon, to remember our fallen warriors Cpl McMahon and LCpl Darwin Judge (the last servicemen killed in action during the Vietnam War), and, finally, to preserve our on hand knowledge of this key event in American history through first account stories, documents, and links.  http://www.marineheritage.org  is a link in support of the National Museum of the Marine Corps

The Fall of Saigon Marines Association is a Non Profit Association and Tax Exempt.  As such, your valued charitable contributions are much appreciated

The Marines from the Fall of Saigon wish to welcome you to our website.   We have tried hard to preserve the history of the Fall of Saigon and honor our fallen warriors. Please visit "Our Stories" to read individual accounts from Marines.   If you have any questions please Email any of our members.  We would appreciate you signing our guestbook.  Thank you for visiting and have a nice day.  WebMaster sends....



  This site has been reviewed by History Television staff and has
now been added to the Archive in the Wars & Conflicts section.
 

This year's recipient of the Lance Corporal Darwin L. Judge Memorial Scholarship is Nicholas ("Nick") Lacina.
 
L - R: Ken Crouse, Mrs. Ida Judge (Darwin's Mom), Nick Lacina (award recipient) and Dwight McDonald.
 
From now on, smiling training session is required.... a great trip spent with several hours with  Dwight catching up on any number of things: (i) whose first marriage was worse; (ii) the evolution of drinking as it applies to Saigon MSG's; (iii) Stratton's or Dwight's bike? (see attached)... but mostly why its great to hang out with guys we served with in Saigon...
 
Semper Fi, Ken


 

These photos (Taken April 2005) of The Vietnamese Memorial which stands in "Freedom Park".  The Monument, erected in 2003,
displays an American and ARVN soldiers.  The Monument is located in Westminster, California.  The area of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Westminster is called "Little Saigon" and is mostly a community of South Vietnamese residents, Vietnamese restaurants, business stores and mini-shopping malls, and a temple.
 
April 26, 2009 a wreath was placed at The Monument in honor of
Cpl McMahon and LCpl Judge.  Those present were CWO-2 Doug Potratz,
Sgt Johathan Kirshner USMC (Who served in Iraq and is the son of
John Kirshner (Can Tho MSG Detachment), and myself.
Doug has posted photos of this recent event.

 

 

Rest In Peace - MSgt Colin D. Broussard, USMC



Graham Martin
(Ambassador, South Vietnam)


Detachments involved in the evacuations in Vietnam

 Saigon Defense Attache Ambassador Bodyguards
 Bein Hoa Nha Trang Can Tho
DaNang    


Fall of Saigon Stories

Read the Fall of Saigon Stories by the Marines that served and died


Ford Museum
  The exhibit is heightened by the display of an authentic Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey helicopter, and the actual staircase that sat on top of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon when that city fell to the Communist Army of North Vietnam. 


MGySgt Doug Drummond's retirement ceremony.
(The Marine Corps flew in a Marine Corps CH46 that participated in the Fall of Saigon for the retirement ceremony)

Fall of Saigon Story and Marine of the Month
-April, 2008-


CWO Doug Potratz

LCpl D. R. Serbus
(No picture)

 

Photo taken at on or around the Fall of Saigon April 1975

 Read all other Fall of Saigon Stories

lleft to right:  President Gerald Ford, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Congressman Duncan Hunter (R),
 
Ambassador Graham Martin, , and General M. W. Hagee USMC.


"That was probably the hardest day of my presidency for me...  I think we made a very heroic effort and did the best we could under the worst of circumstances.  I look upon it as the sadness of a retreat that I'll never forget."
Former President Gerald R. Ford
Newsweek Magazine, March 8, 1999

Leatherneck Magazine
Calls the Fall of Saigon

Dreaming of White Christmas
The Fall of Saigon -America's Adopted Alamo

Click here to read the Fall of Saigon story

Interesting links related to the Fall of Saigon


President Gerald Ford picture taken April 29, 1975
______________

Fall of Saigon declassified documents and links

Historic declassified document that started the Fall of Saigon. 
Historical declassified General Weymand letter to President Ford 
Vietnam War Documents  - Ford Museum/Library
Vietnam Timeline
Maps of the Fall of Saigon

Reunions

25th Memorial/Reunion @ Marshalltown, Iowa for LCpl Judge
26th Memorial/Reunion @ Massachusetts,  Woburn  for Cpl Charles McMahon Jr.
30th Memorial/Reunion @ Quantico Virginia and Washington D.C.

30th Fall of Saigon Anniversary Interviews and Media links

Vets look back at U.S. pullout from Saigon 30 years ago
We're All Going To Die Here -Former Marine Recalls
The last to leave another on a frantic mission
Young Marine guarded chaotic rooftop
 

30th Anniversary Media News

CBS Vietnam marks the Fall of Saigon - Includes videos and more...
One man left Saigon on the final helicopter. The other spent April 30, 1975, on a frantic mission with the U.S. Ambassador.
Vietnam Marks Fall Of Saigon - CBS
We just walked away
Vietnam News about the Fall of Saigon
Final hours and fallen comrades haunt survivors
Facts about the Fall of Saigon
Fall of Saigon links
Vietnam Orphan expresses her pride of the U.S. Military on the 30th April 1975
USA Today Interactive story of the Fall of Saigon
Memories Of The Fall Of Saigon - CBS

Videos, Pictures, Documents and Declassified Documents

 Quotes and videos from the Marines of the Fall of Saigon
 The American consulate in Can Tho
 Misc. Fall of Saigon Video
 Marine Security Guard Battalion Video

Pictures

  Picture of Ambassador Martin, Henry Kissinger and President Ford.  
  Colonel Hurley's (former CO of MSG Battalion) letter to the Fall of Saigon  Marines
   Donations to the Fall of Saigon Association

 View Flag Raising at Judge Park


Documents
 
 

   President Ford's Letter to the Fall of Saigon Marines dated 15 June 2000
   Dr. Kissinger's Letter to the Fall of Saigon Marines
 Letter to the Fall of Saigon Marines Association from the Commandant of the Marine Corps
(signed by General M. W. Hagee) on our 30th Anniversary April 29-30 1975.


Historical Declassified Fall of Saigon Vietnam Documents

 

   Declassified  Documents throughout  the Fall of Saigon
"Lessons of Vietnam" by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, ca. May 12, 1975, cover memo
"Ominous Developments in Vietnam," March 12, 1975, page 1 of 3
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's message on President Gerald Ford's decisions to start the Saigon Evacuation, April 29, 1975
Assessment of General Fred C. Weymand's Report on Vietnam, April 5, 1975, page 1 of 5
Vietnam Assessment Report by General Fred C. Weymand, April 9, 1975, cover memo, page 1 of 2
Helicopter Pilot Radio Transmissions During the Saigon Evacuation, April 29, 1975, page 1 of 2

 Eight Declassified documents

Eight declassified documents of the Fall of Saigon


Please view our NEW Guestbook.


View Our Guestbook
Sign Our Guestbook

 

 

1st Guestbook
2nd Guestbook
 3rd Guestbook



Any questions.  Ask our

Fall of Saigon Marines Association Officers

President

MGySgt John Valdez USMC, Retired

Vice President &
Public Affairs Officer

Cpl John Ghilain USMC

Email: [email protected]

Secretary

L/Cpl Ken Crouse USMC

Email: [email protected]

Attorney

CWO Doug Potratz USMC, Retired

Email: 
[email protected]

Treasurer

Sgt Bill Newell USMC

Email:
[email protected]

Historian

Colonel Steve Hasty USMC

Email:
[email protected]
Webmaster

CWO Kevin Maloney
Massachusetts Army National Guard


Email
: [email protected]

  Webmaster

Email:


~ Disclaimer~

The United Sates Marine Corps, The Department of Defense, The State Department and the United States Government  has not authorized this site.    The Fall of Saigon Association is a Non Profit Association.

 

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~ Fall of Saigon Links ~

United States Marine Corps   Vietnam War Statistics Marine Security Guard Battalion
MSG Duty History Project Vietnam War Links Vietnam War link
Marine Security Guard School   Marine Embassy Guard Association USMC Vietnam Helicopter Association
Command Chronology - RLT-4 -30 April 1975 Second Battalion,4th Marines Association, Inc.

Vietnam Project

Leatherneck Magizine

Associations

    


DOS/MSG Reunion planned