Vietnamese Evacuation- The Fall of Siagon
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 5:15 amSeconded to the Air Liason Corps, while on Air Force exchange (from the RAF), I was placed in command of a Cessna Bird Dog, at Saigon airstrip.
On the day of the fall, there was much airport activity and my aircraft and I were comandeered by a shady Lieutenant-Colonel who refused to give his name and was handing me instructions for a drop off, by the Cambodian border....
I was told to get off the ground quickly, and I could understand where my Commander was coming from- Red troops were overrunning the airport.
It wasn't long before the devilish small arms fire started, in collaboration with the big anti-aircraft ack ack. So I engaged some emergency maneouvers.
There was a throaty voice in the back, and I was ordered to touchdown by a small house, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere. My passenger quietly hopped out and some American lads appeared to greet him.
I was snapped by one of them as I took off...
Eventually, after crossing the border into Cambodia, I was shadowed by a MiG jet that I couldn't quite identify, but the pilot handed me this photo afterwards..
I touched down in Phenom Penh to the sound of soldier's boots running towards the aircraft...
At least I was allowed the dignity of taxiing, before I was taken in for questioning (and eventual release some hours later.)
This ends my cross border adventure.
Enjoy,
A.
On the day of the fall, there was much airport activity and my aircraft and I were comandeered by a shady Lieutenant-Colonel who refused to give his name and was handing me instructions for a drop off, by the Cambodian border....
I was told to get off the ground quickly, and I could understand where my Commander was coming from- Red troops were overrunning the airport.
It wasn't long before the devilish small arms fire started, in collaboration with the big anti-aircraft ack ack. So I engaged some emergency maneouvers.
There was a throaty voice in the back, and I was ordered to touchdown by a small house, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere. My passenger quietly hopped out and some American lads appeared to greet him.
I was snapped by one of them as I took off...
Eventually, after crossing the border into Cambodia, I was shadowed by a MiG jet that I couldn't quite identify, but the pilot handed me this photo afterwards..
I touched down in Phenom Penh to the sound of soldier's boots running towards the aircraft...
At least I was allowed the dignity of taxiing, before I was taken in for questioning (and eventual release some hours later.)
This ends my cross border adventure.
Enjoy,
A.