Barbour County (LST 1195) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 11 text:

THE AMERICANS AND THE FIRST VIETNAMESE CAME BY AIR AMERICA HELICOPTERS, BARBOUR COUNTY SERVED AS A LANDING AND REFUELING PLATFORM FOR THE HELICOPTERS AND A PROCESSING AREA FOR THE VIETNAMESE WHO WOULD SOON BE TRANSFERRED TO MSC SHIPS

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OPERATION FREQUENT WIND AFTER SAILING HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD AT BEST SPEED WE ARRIVED AT THE GULF OF TONKIN AND RENDEZVOUSED WITH THE REST OF THE PACIFIC FLEET AUGMENTED BY EVERY AVAILABLE MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND SHIP THE EVACUATION HAD NOT YET BEGUN THE CREW OF THE BAR- BOUR COUNTY WATCHED THE BOMB FLASHES EACH NIGHT AS THE COMMUNIST ADVANCE CLOSED IN ON SAIGON. FOR DAYS THE AMERICAN FLEET SAT POISED FOR ACTION WAITING JUST BEYOND THE HORIZON FINALLY THE END CAME. ALL AMERICANS REMAINING IN VIET- NAM MUST BE EVACUATED ALONG WITH A FLOOD OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES OPERATION FREQUENT WIND WAS EXECUTED, • i il K.. w n 1

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— — — . — — - — U: 1 % ' r O ' d 1 :iP » ' i Lt ■4 MANY THAT ESCAPED THE WAR WERE CHILDREN- THEY CAME WITH EVERYTHING THE OWNED: FOOD. CLOTHING. FAMILY POSSESSIONS, CURRENCY. GOLD. AND VERY FREQUENTLY WEAPONS.