Remembering the fall of Saigon

On this day in 1975, the last Americans were airlifted from Saigon, bringing an end to the war in Vietnam

On this day in 1975, the last Americans were airlifted from Saigon, bringing an end to the war in Vietnam. Fred Reed, who was a news reporter at the time, was "determined to stay until the end." His account of being evacuated in the middle of the night in a darkened C-130 appeared in our June 1992 issue.

The last man to be helicoptered out of the U.S. Embassy early on the morning of April 30 (Vietnam time) was (then) Major Jim Kean, who commanded the Marine security unit in the compound. Read his riveting after action report here.

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