[21]:7 At 03:27 President Gerald Ford ordered that no more than 19 additional lifts would be allowed to complete the evacuation. [6] Originally codenamed "Talon Vise", the operation was renamed "Frequent Wind" when the original codename was compromised. [17] Members of the police in Saigon had been promised evacuation in exchange for protecting the American evacuation buses and control of the crowds in the city during the evacuation. The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. Martin told them that he would not tolerate any outward signs that the United States intended to abandon South Vietnam. [6]:34 American commercial and contract carriers continued to fly out of Tan Son Nhut, but with decreasing frequency. Some, however, including the Kirk, still serve in foreign navies. Companies E and F respectively occupied the northern and southern sections between the DAO headquarters and the DAO Annex. Martin had remained optimistic that a negotiated settlement could be reached whereby the US would not have to pull out of South Vietnam and, in an effort to avert defeatism and panic he instructed Major James Kean, commanding officer of the Marine Security Guard Battalion and Ground Support Force Commander United States Embassy Compound, that he could not begin to remove the tamarind tree and other trees and shrubbery which prevented the use of the embassy parking lot as a helicopter landing zone. [14]:63, After the evacuation signal was given, the buses began to pick up passengers and head to the DAO Compound. The fleet arrived off Subic Bay on 6 May; however, diplomatic issues rose to the fore. Major Kean advised that the LZ would be well lit and had vehicles moved around the parking lot LZ with their engines running and headlights on to illuminate the LZ. The pilot of the stolen ICCS Huey had been told to ditch off the port quarter of the ship, but seemed reluctant to do so, flying around the ship to the starboard bow he jumped from his helicopter at a height of 40 feet (12m). [6]:38[10]:178179, By late March, the embassy began to reduce the number of U.S. citizens in Vietnam by encouraging dependents and non-essential personnel to leave the country by commercial flights and on Military Airlift Command (MAC) C-141 and C-5 aircraft, which were still bringing in emergency military supplies. "operation frequent wind" +1975 do advanced search and select all possible types like web pages. [20]:21 At some point during the morning RVNAF personnel took five ICCS UH-1H Hueys and one Air America Bell 204 from the Air America ramp. See also: Operation New Life, Operation Babylift and Operation New Arrivals. On 23 April President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines announced that no more than 2,500 Vietnamese evacuees would be allowed in the Philippines at any one time, further increasing the strain on MAC which now had to move evacuees out of Saigon and move some 5,000 evacuees from Clark Air Base on to Guam, Wake Island and Yokota Air Base. [20]:2728 The scene was famously captured on film by Hubert van Es. WebAs the North Vietnamese continued to advance south, President Gerald R. Ford announced on April 3, 1975, that U.S. aircraft delivering supplies to Saigon would carry Vietnamese orphans to the United States on their return flights. Chambers ordered the flight deck crew to clear the landing area; in the process an estimated US$10 million worth of UH-1 Huey helicopters were pushed overboard into the South China Sea. Operation Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975. The code is: The temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising. Vestibulum euismod interdum neque vitae facilisis. [6] Some RVNAF aircraft stayed to continue to fight the advancing PAVN. In the event, air support was not needed as the North Vietnamese paused for a week at the outskirts of Saigon, possibly waiting for the South Vietnamese government to collapse and avoiding a possible confrontation with the U.S. by allowing the mostly-unopposed evacuation of Americans from Saigon. Taken with other categories of Vietnamese, the number quickly passed 200,000. continue reading . [3] The evacuation took place primarily from the Defense Attach Office compound, beginning around 14:00 on the afternoon of 29 April, and ending that night with only limited small arms damage to the helicopters. At dawn on 29 April two A-1 Skyraiders began patrolling the perimeter of Tan Son Nhut at until one was shot down, presumably by an SA-7 missile. We are in the process of the refurbish of the airframe and interior. Introducing the Hannah USS Hancock (CV-19) : known politely as the Hannah to her WebAs we approach the commemorative 45 th year of Operation Frequent Wind, I wanted to invite you all to take a look back with me, to the role of the Midways sister-in-arms for the evacuation of refugees during the fall of Saigon in April 1975the USS Hancock. [3]:258 The total number of Vietnamese evacuated by Frequent Wind or self-evacuated and ending up in the custody of the United States for processing as refugees to enter the United States totalled 138,869. WebTo commemorate the 45th Anniversary of Operation Frequent Wind and the Fall of Saigon, we invite you to enter the name of a Vietnam War veteran, past or present, along with a tribute message to honor their service. Do not disclose to other personnel. Ambassador Graham Martin ordered the capitals evacuation. Except for the fleet deployment map, the photos are provided courtesy of USS Duluth shipmate Bob Cort, with our sincere appreciation. On 29 April, with North Vietnamese forces entering Saigon, U.S. A third wave of two CH-53s from HMH-463 and eight USAF CH-53Cs and two USAF HH-53s of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (all operating from USS Midway) arrived shortly afterwards. They were the last American ground casualties in Vietnam. in Vietnam Added names of the cities. Major Kean saw Ambassador Martin to request that he contact the Oval Office to ensure that the airlift continued. Black and White Photographs of Marine Corps Activities in Vietnam, 1962 1975 - Photos of a wide range of subjects including: marines in combat, military dogs, ceremonies and entertainers, aircraft, visits by VIPs, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Viet Cong, Vietnamese civilians, Operation Homecoming, and Operation Frequent Wind. The booklet included a map of Saigon pinpointing "assembly areas where a helicopter will pick you up." The crew evacuated the burning aircraft on the taxiway and departed the airfield on another C-130 that had previously landed. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon. Among those arriving at the embassy were Phan Quang n, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for social welfare and refugee resettlement,[14]:27 and Lieutenant-General ng Vn Quang. On board the USS Hancock, a South Vietnamese CH-47 helicopter is pushed over the fantail to make room for Then the F-4D was cleared to destroy the 57 mm battery and did so with two CBU-71 and two CBU-58 Cluster bombs, neutralizing the site, 10 miles (16km) northeast of Saigon, without damage to either aircraft. In the helicopter evacuation a total of 395 Americans and 4,475 Vietnamese and third-country nationals were evacuated from the DAO compound[10] and a further 978 U.S. and 1,120 Vietnamese and third-country nationals from the embassy,[10] giving a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese and third country nationals. [6]:24 On 4 April, a C-5A aircraft carrying 250 Vietnamese orphans and their escorts suffered explosive decompression over the sea near Vng Tu and made a crash-landing while attempting to return to Tan Son Nhut; 153 people on board died in the crash. No BS, just fact.. [6] At 00:30 on 30 April, thermite grenades, having been previously placed in selected buildings, ignited as two CH-53s left the DAO parking lot carrying the last elements of BLT 2/4. Ambassador Graham Martin ordered the capitals evacuation. MSC tugs pulled barges filled with people from Saigon Port out to TF-76. The Marine evacuation contingent, the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade (Task Group 79.1), consisted of three Battalion Landing Teams (BLT); 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4), 1st Battalion 9th Marines (1/9), 3rd Battalion 9th Marines (3/9) and three helicopter squadrons HMH-462, HMH-463, HMM-165 along with other support units from Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39). [6]:121, Midway deck crew surround Major Buang and his family, At the same time as the aerial evacuation, tens of thousands of South Vietnamese fled towards TF-76 aboard junks, sampans, and small craft. When the evacuation is ordered, the code will be read out on Armed Forces Radio. Despite receiving sporadic PAVN AAA fire, USAF and USN aircraft made no attacks on AAA or SAM sites during the evacuation. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon. As it hovered over her stern, dozens of passengers jumped into the waiting arms of bluejackets. [10], As part of the evacuation plan agreed with the DAO, Air America committed 24 of its 28 available helicopters to support the evacuation and 31 pilots agreed to stay in Saigon to support the evacuation; this meant that most helicopters would have only one pilot rather than the usual two. [6]:3031, With the cause of the crash still unknown, the C-5 fleet was grounded and the MAC airlift was reduced to using C-141s and C-130s. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. As there was no room for more than one small helicopter at a time, each was summarily dumped over the side after unloading. [10], It was not known whether the PAVN and/or the ARVN would try to disrupt the evacuation and so the planners had to take all possible contingencies into account to ensure the safety and success of the evacuation. Operation Frequent Wind ship disposition 1975 [6]:35, By late April, Air America helicopters were flying several daily shuttles from TF76 to the DAO Compound to enable the 9th MAB to conduct evacuation preparations at the DAO without exceeding the Paris Peace Accords' limit of 50 U.S. military personnel in South Vietnam. [10]:187, The air wings of USS Enterprise and USS Coral Sea, were ready to provide close air support and anti-aircraft suppression if required with their A-6 and A-7 attack aircraft, and would provide continuous fighter cover the evacuation route including by VF-1 and VF-2, flying from Enterprise with the first combat deployment of the new F-14A Tomcat. His helicopter turned and hit the side of Blue Ridge before hitting the sea. By 22 April, 20 C-141 and 20 C-130s flights a day were flying evacuees out of Tan Son Nhut to Clark Air Base,[6]:60 some 1,000 miles away in the Philippines. At the beginning of March, fixed-wing aircraft began evacuating civilians from Tan Son Nhat Airport through neighboring countries. The Kirk handled evacuees from 16 South Vietnamese helicopters, which all safely landed aboard in what were often their first at-sea landing attempts. In the spring of 1975, two years after the Paris Peace Accords ended U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, the North Vietnamese Army began moving toward Saigon. Vietnam War WebIt was carried out on 2930 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. Rather than loading as many evacuees as possible, each evacuee was required to have a seat and a seatbelt, reducing the number of passengers that could be carried on each flight to 94 in a C-141 and 75 in a C-130. The ships could not enter under the RVN flag. In addition, Air America helicopters and RVNAF aircraft brought additional evacuees to the TF76 ships. [20] Air America helicopters started flying to the rooftop LZs in Saigon and either shuttled the evacuees back to the DAO Compound or flew out to the ships of TF76. The evacuation of the embassy was completed at 07:53 on 30 April, but some Americans chose to stay or were left behind and some 400 third-country nationals were left at the embassy. [6] At 08:30 on 29 April, with the shelling of Tan Son Nhut Airport subsiding, Air America began ferrying its helicopter and fixed-wing pilots from their homes in Saigon to the Air America compound at Tan Son Nhut, across the road from the DAO Compound. On 2 May, Task Force 76, carrying the Operation Frequent Wind evacuees and 44,000 seaborne evacuees and the RVN Navy group set sail for reception centers in the Philippines and Guam.[8]. [6]:90 Finally at 10:51 the order was given by CINCPAC to commence Option 4; due to confusion in the chain of command, General Carey did not receive the execute order until 12:15. [6]:99 The Hanoi leadership, reckoning that completion of the evacuation would lessen the risk of American intervention, had apparently instructed General Dng not to target the airlift itself. Nam finibus, justo at commodo pellentesque, nunc diam molestie justo, vitae aliquam orci urna quis elit. Harnage boarded an Air America Huey from the Embassy's rooftop heliport and flew the short distance to the Pittman Building. [35], On the afternoon of 29 April 1975, Hubert van Es, a Saigon-based photographer for United Press International, took the iconic photo of Operation Frequent Wind of an Air America UH-1 on a rooftop picking up Vietnamese evacuees. [6] USAF aircraft operating out of Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Korat Air Base and U-Tapao Air Base in Thailand were also overhead for the duration of the helicopter evacuation. [6]:35, On 7 April Air America pilot Nikki A. Fillipi, with U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Robert Twigger, assigned to the DAO as the U.S. Navy liaison officer, surveyed 37 buildings in Saigon as possible landing zones (LZ), selecting 13 of them as fit for use. All Air America flights had ceased by 21:00. All planning would have to be conducted with the utmost discretion. Evacuation plans already existed as a standard procedure for American embassies. RVNAF Huey is pushed overboard from USS Midway. The evacuation of personnel from the DAO compound had lasted nine hours and involved over 50 Marine Corps and Air Force helicopters. Greatest Humanitarian Mission [6]:22 Also on 1 April, Plan Alamo was implemented to defend the DAO compound and its annex so it could serve as a holding area for 1,500 evacuees for five days. Major Kean saw Ambassador Martin to request that he contact the Oval Office to ensure that the airlift continued. Mr. Caiella is a journalist of more than 45 years with experience as a photographer, editor, writer, designer, and graphic artist. Eventually the ARVN commander controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound. [10]:179181, It was not known whether the PAVN and/or the ARVN would try to disrupt the evacuation and so the planners had to take all possible contingencies into account to ensure the safety and success of the evacuation. At 07:00 the AC-119 was firing on PAVN to the east of Tan Son Nhut when it too was hit by an SA-7 and fell in flames to the ground. By 20:30 the last evacuees had been loaded onto helicopters. [6] During their approach to the compound, Carey and Gray got a firsthand view of the PAVN's firepower as they shelled nearby Tan Son Nhut Airport with ground, rocket, and artillery fire. Guide to the Khanh Van Thi Nguyen Narrative on Operation Frequent Wind. [6] Armed guards were also present on each flight to prevent hijacking. The code is: The temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising. [6], The evacuation proceeded without interference from the PAVN. They quickly established an austere command post in preparation for the arrival of the Marine CH-53s and the ground security force. The tail rotor sheared off and embedded itself in the engine of an Air America Bell 205 that was doing a hot refueling on the helipad at the rear of the ship. The system worked so efficiently that the buses were able to make three return journeys rather than the expected one. The RVNAF pilots had been instructed after dropping off their passengers to ditch their helicopters and they would then be picked up by one of the ship's tenders. [14], At 17:00 the first CH-46 landed at the embassy. [6], With the fall of Saigon imminent, between 18 and 24 April the U.S. Navy assembled ships off Vng Tu under Commander Task Force 76:[8], Task Group 76.4 (Movement Transport Group Alpha), Task Group 76.5 (Movement Transport Group Bravo), Task Group 76.9 (Movement Transport Group Charlie). [20] By 10:30 all of Air America's fixed-wing aircraft had departed Tan Son Nhut, evacuating all non-essential personnel and as many Vietnamese evacuees as they could carry and headed for Thailand. The two enlisted crewmen survived, but the bodies of the pilots were not recovered. Nulla vel risus et eros sollicitudin pulvinar et in odio. At this time, the embassy indicated that another 19 lifts would complete the evacuation. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of In addition, a flotilla of Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships were assembled and these carried out seaborne evacuations from Saigon Port, this fleet comprised: On 28 April at 18:06, three A-37 Dragonflies piloted by former RVNAF pilots, who had defected to the Vietnamese People's Air Force at the fall of Da Nang, dropped six Mk81 250lb bombs on Tan Son Nhut Air Base destroying several aircraft. The curtain of haze over Saigon so altered the diminished daylight that line of sight visibility was only a mile. Operation Frequent Wind Duluth LPD-6 Operation Frequent Wind April 30 CNN From 12 to 14 May, she was alerted, although not utilized, for the recovery of SS Mayagez, a US merchantman with 39 crew, seized in international waters on 12 May by On the afternoon of 30 April, TF-76 moved away from the coast, picking up more refugees as they went. Strategic Air Command KC-135 tankers provided air-to-air refueling. Eventually the ARVN commander controlling the gates agreed to permit the remaining buses to enter the compound. [25][26] The South Korean civilians were evacuated in 1976, while General Rhee and two other diplomats were held captive until April 1980. [21] At 03:00 Ambassador Martin ordered Major Kean to move all the remaining evacuees into the parking lot LZ which was the Marines' final perimeter. Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is Copyright 2009-2022, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. In addition, the Vietnamese relatives of American citizens and senior Government of Vietnam officials and their dependents (about 600,000 people) were also identified as potential evacuees, along with Vietnamese formerly employed by the U.S. and their dependents. [20] Air America helicopters started flying to the rooftop LZs in Saigon and either shuttled the evacuees back to the DAO Compound or flew out to the ships of TF76. [6] The fall of Xun Lc on 21 April and the resignation of President Nguyn Vn Thiu on 21 April brought greater crowds seeking evacuation to the DAO Compound as it became apparent that South Vietnam's days were numbered. [10]:182 This was the last USAF fixed-wing aircraft to leave Tan Son Nhut. [20] According to US Naval Archives, at 12:30 an Air America Bell 205 landed Air Vice Marshal Nguyn Cao K, Madame K, Dorothy Martin (wife of Ambassador Martin) and others on USS Denver; however, contemporary reports state and photos show that Marshal K piloted his own UH-1H Huey to USS Midway.[20]. Some 400 evacuees were left behind at the embassy including over 100 South Korean citizens; among them was Brigadier General Dai Yong Rhee, the intelligence chief at the South Korean Embassy in Saigon. That same day, theMidwayarrived off Vung Tau on the southern coast of South Vietnam Operation Frequent Wind Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. Confiscating literally thousands of small arms from the ships took a full day. When U.S. President Gerald Ford met with the National Security Council on 9 April 1975 he was told by Henry Kissinger that a maximum of 1.7 million people had been identified as possible evacuees and that these included: American citizens and their relatives, the diplomatic corps, the International Commission of Control and Supervision (ICCS), third-country nationals under contract by the U.S. government and the employees of the U.S. and their dependents (estimated at about 200,000 people). "Bravo" command group, consisting of two rifle companies and the 106mm recoilless rifle platoon, assumed responsibility for security of the DAO Annex and its adjoining landing zones. This week marks exactly 40 years since the largest helicopter airlift in history, Operation Frequent Wind. [10] CH-46F Swift 1-4 of HMM-164 from USS Hancock flown by Captain William C. Nystul[31] and First Lieutenant Michael J. Shea[32] crashed into the sea on its approach to the ship after having flown a night sea and air rescue mission. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. [5] The Saigon plan had been developed over a number of years. A C-130 Airborne Command and Control controlled all US air operations over land. The Kirks legacy, however, is bound up in compassion and mercy; the little DE was an integral part of the rescue of tens of thousands of refugees. [21]:67 From the billowing incinerator on the embassy roof floated intelligence documents and US currency, most charred; some not. The U.S. Embassy in Saigon was intended to only be a secondary evacuation point for embassy staff, but it was soon overwhelmed with evacuees and desperate South Vietnamese. During the course of the operation an unknown number of RVNAF helicopters flew out of what remained of South Vietnam to the fleet. Did the Fletcher-class destroyer William D. Porter (DD-579) deserve her reputation as a hard-luck ship? Caption: 127-GVB-279-A150966: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975. Hannahthe Other Carrier in the Fall of Saigon [21], By the morning of 29 April, it was estimated that approximately 10,000 people had gathered around the embassy, while some 2,500 evacuees were in the embassy and consular compounds. President Ford later called it "a sad and tragic period in America's history" but argued that "you couldn't help but be very proud of those pilots and others who were conducting the evacuation". Amphibious We are the proud owners of Patches BuNo 153715. [10], During the demolition of the embassy, the metal staircase leading from the rooftop to the helipad was removed and sent back to the United States, where it is now on display at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos RVNAF F-5s took off in pursuit, but they were unable to intercept the A-37s. Hugh van Es believed that Miss Saigon misappropriated his photo and considered legal action against the show, but decided against it. Lady Ace 09, CH-46 serial number 154803, is now on display at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in San Diego, California. Jacobs had to deliver Richard L. Armitage, a civilian on special assignment from the Secretary of Defense, to the Republic of Vietnam Navy (RVNN) Chief of Naval Operations flagship. USS Midway Museum In addition, two CH-46s would provide medical evacuation capabilities while AH-1J SeaCobras would fly cover for the transport helicopters and for any ground units who requested support. [6]:8 There were about 17,000 at-risk Vietnamese on embassy rolls, which, using an average of seven dependents per family, meant that the number requiring evacuation was 119,000. [4], Evacuation plans are standard for American embassies. Hello, Midway Family! and eight destroyer types for naval gunfire, escort, and area defense, including: The and carrier attack groups of Task Force 77 in the South China Sea provided air cover while Task Force 73 ensured logistic support. [20]:29. [10] [20] This move created fuel problems for Air America as they no longer had access to the fuel supplies in their compound and at least initially they were refused fuel by the ships of TF76. [3] The evacuation took place primarily from the Defense Attach Office compound, beginning around 14:00 on the afternoon of 29 April, and ending that night with only limited small arms damage to the helicopters. But these restrictions were relaxed and eventually ignored altogether as the pace of the evacuation quickened. The SeaCobras could also serve as Forward Air Controllers. [21]:7 At 03:00 Ambassador Martin ordered Major Kean to move all the remaining evacuees into the parking lot LZ which was the Marines' final perimeter. [6]:27 By 16 April, Alamo was complete: water, C-rations, petroleum, oil, and lubricants had been stockpiled; backup electricity generators had been installed; sanitary facilities were completed; and concertina wire protected the perimeter. The buses would follow one of four planned evacuation routes from downtown Saigon to the DAO Compound, each route named after a Western Trail: Santa Fe, Oregon, Texas, etc. [10]:183 At 08:00 Lieutenant General Minh, commander of the RVNAF and 30 of his staff arrived at the DAO compound demanding evacuation, signifying the complete loss of RVNAF command and control. Once completed, the new defensive perimeter encompassed only LZ 36 and the Alamo. The 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade (9th MAB), which was to supply helicopters and a security force for the evacuation, sent a delegation to consult with Ambassador Graham Martin on current plans on 12 April. Then the F-4D was cleared to destroy the 57 mm battery and did so with two CBU-71 and two CBU-58 Cluster bombs, neutralizing the site, northeast of Saigon, without damage to either aircraft. At the beginning of March, fixed-wing aircraft began evacuating civilians from Tan Son Nhat Airport through neighboring countries. you will have to do a lot of research as I cannot file the ships logs there from between 70 and 79 for some reason. Events in South Vietnam were approaching a crescendo of panic. Evacuation of nonessential U.S. personnel began as early as late March. [14], From 10:00 to 12:00 Major Kean and his Marines cut down the tamarind and other trees and moved vehicles to create an LZ in the embassy parking lot behind the chancery building. During the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people (including 2,678 Vietnamese orphans) were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. [21]:6 At 21:30 a CH-53 pilot informed Major Kean that Admiral Whitmire, Commander of Task Force 76 had ordered that operations would cease at 23:00. The two enlisted crewmen survived, but the bodies of the pilots were not recovered. This operation was also the debut combat deployment of the F-14 Tomcat aircraft. [6] Also on 1 April, Plan Alamo was implemented to defend the DAO compound and its annex so it could serve as a holding area for 1,500 evacuees for five days. [10] At that time Major Kean estimated that there were still some 850 non-American evacuees and 225 Americans (including the Marines), and Ambassador Martin told Major Kean to do the best he could. In all, the Kirk rescued 200 refugees and two U.S. Marine pilots. [21], At 04:58 Ambassador Martin boarded a USMC CH-46 Sea Knight, call-sign Lady Ace 09 of HMM-165 and was flown to USS Blue Ridge. During Operation Frequent Wind, 71 helicopters flew over 650 sorties between Saigon and elements of the Seventh Fleet off shore. [1] [2]. Thirty-two ships were selected for the voyage to freedom. Hancock then took part in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh on 12 April 1975 and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon on 2930 April 1975. [10] At 08:00 Lieutenant General Minh, commander of the RVNAF and 30 of his staff arrived at the DAO compound demanding evacuation, signifying the complete loss of RVNAF command and control. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Subscribe now and never hit a limit. The four crew members estimated they received more than 500 rounds of 23-mm, 37-mm, and 57-mm fire in the space of one minute. Pilots of other helicopters were told to drop off their passengers and then take off and ditch in the sea, from where they would be rescued.