News Release
portofsandiego.org 




 
 
 
 
 Contact: Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216

Flight for Freedom Aboard the USS Midway

April 30 – More than 4,300 people gathered atop the flight deck of the USS
Midway Friday, April 30, 2010, to commemorate Operation Frequent Wind, which
is considered the largest helicopter evacuation in history.

American soldiers on the USS Midway helped rescue 3,075 Vietnamese

refugees in two days in 1975, when more than 40 million left the Republic of
South Vietnam in 1975 to flee from Communist regime of the Viet Cong.

The ceremony honored the people of Vietnam as well as the crew of the USS
Midway and their mission during the Fall of Saigon. Vietnamese refugees and
U.S. sailors from across the county and nation travelled to San Diego to
remember what Scott McGaugh, marketing director of the USS Midway Museum,
described during the opening ceremony as “a day of loss, but a day of
opportunity. It’s a historic day that demonstrated duty, devotion and passion
worthy of respect.”

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders presented a proclamation to Chairman Charles

Nichols of the USS Midway Board of Directors, designating April 30, 2010, ‘New
Horizon Day’ in the City of San Diego. It is the “cultural vitality of the community”
resulting from this mission, which the City aims to celebrate to “help keep dreams
and hopes alive”.

County Supervisor Ron Roberts also recognized the Vietnamese people as an

important and established part of the community. He presented a proclamation
announcing the day ‘Operation Frequent Wind Day’ in San Diego County.

The State of California added its voice of recognition through Assemblyman

Nathan Fletcher. Although not present, he had delivered an additional
proclamation naming the historic date ‘Freedom in California Day’.

“American and Vietnamese soldiers gave their lives in the pursuit of freedom,”
said Mac McLaughlin, president and CEO of the USS Midway Museum. “We
should cherish and we should remember how their sacrifices made our freedom
possible.”






Voices rose in unison to sing the national anthem of the Republic of South
Vietnam and the United States while its flags were raised. A hush followed the
flight deck as the 4,300 sitting observed a moment of silence and a wreath was
thrown overboard into the waters in honor of those who died.

“The average age of a sailor (on the ship) was 19 years old, charged with the
responsibility of saving lives,” said McGaugh. “The sound of that engine stays
with every sailor to this day.”

The engine referred to was that of South Vietnamese Air Force Major Bung Ly,
who landed his Cessna 0-1 Bird Dog on the aircraft carrier USS Midway, saving
the lives of his wife and five children who were in the two-place aircraft with him.

Major Ly flew in circles amid helicopters escaping from Saigon, and hadn’t
received a signal to land his single-engine plane on the carrier flight deck until
Commander Vern Jumper, 1975 Air Boss of the USS Midway, gave him the
green light.

“After we landed, sailors surrounded us with joy and cheers,” Major Ly said today
at the ceremony. “For a moment I lost sight of my family. But, I was not worried,
for now they were in good hands – in the hands of America, in the hands of
freedom.”

A replica of the Major Ly’s Bird Dog flew in today as a special gift from Richard
Bunting of the International Bird Dog Association, to be a part of the new
Operation Frequent Wind exhibit on the USS Midway Museum.

His story is one of many recognized today aboard the USS Midway, “America’s
symbol of freedom”. Major Ly and his family now reside in Florida, and are
naturalized American citizens.

“All of this was possible,” he said, “because we were saved by the USS Midway.”