Although commonly described as the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy, the actual embassy was a much larger building several blocks away. This building was a residence for U.S. diplomatic personnel.
After this helicopter took off, hundreds of people waited on the roof, but no one else came for them.
The United States government’s decision to abandon the people of South Vietnam after propping up their government for over ten years led to the deaths of many thousands at the hands of the Communist invaders.
This is one of the most shameful events in the history of my country.
Air America was a passenger and cargo airline covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It operated many types of airplanes and helicopters, among them the legendary Bell “Huey”—both the commercial Model 204B, and military UH-1D and UH-1H.
Because the helicopter in the first photograph is seen nearly head-on, it is difficult to identify. To TDiA’s eyes, though, it appears to be a Bell 204B. The 204B has a single, almost square, window in each of the sliding doors, while the longer 205A-1 has a small auxiliary cargo door with a small window, followed by the sliding door with two windows.
The helicopter in the second photograph is a Bell UH-1D, constructor’s number 3211. It was one of six UH-1Ds purchased by Air America from the Bell Helicopter Company on 21 September 1967 for $328,645.75, each. 3211 was assigned for operations out of Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, with the Kingdom of Laos aircraft registration XW-PFJ.
Air America planned to crate the helicopter and return it to the United States. The Laotian registration was cancelled 14 May 1974 and the aircraft stored at Sài Gòn. A U.S. Federal Aviation Administration registration was requested 10 April 1975, and on 17 April it was registered as N47004, and identified as a “205D.” It was used during the evacuation of Sài Gòn on 29 April 1975.
N47004 was transported to NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, aboard the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19), and then on to Corpus Christi, Texas. In September 1975 N47004 was trucked from Corpus Christie to Roswell, New Mexico. It was sold to Omni Aircraft Sales, Washington, D.C., for $100,000, 13 November 1975. In 1976, it was resold to Columbia Helicopters, Inc., Portland, Oregon. It was last registered to an individual in Dothan, Alabama. The registration was cancelled 15 August 2013.
© 2025, Bryan R. Swopes
Thanks, Jim.
Yes, I agree…This was deplorable what our politicians decided to do during that time. I was stationed at a base in Northern Thailand during this period, and were issued orders to cease all bombing on August 15, 1973….All went to hell from there on…Makes me sick! 58,000 + dead for what?
Totally disgusting. Spent two tours in there (one in Thailand and one in SVN), all for naught, thanks to the @#$%$#@ politicians!!
Thank you, Dennis.
In my mind, the shame belongs on SVN and American polititians, that being said, the courageous American pilots (and even some SVN pilots) saved many people from being captured during “Operation Frequent Wind”.
Such as the SVNAF (I believe) pilot who landed an O-1 aboard USS Midway (CV-41) with a flight deck crowded with evacuation helicopters, carrying his wife & 5 kids, the plane is
now preserved at NMNA at NAS Pensacola, FL. You can get photos from them, or one of a couple of USS Midway web sites. Thanks for marking this unfortunate time.
I agree with you, Mike.
What was plan B? Another ten years and another 58, 220, followed by another ten years etc?
Thank you to all who served and welcome home!
And to be repeated all over again in Afghanistan, August 2021. Only this time many ex-Patriots were abandoned. Unbelievable.
I worked with some of these Air America crews while working for Bell Helicopter in Iran. Interesting stories for sure!
And the Communists were NEVER coming to get us, just more BS to enlarge the Military Industrial Complex as Eisenhower warned us about. We caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands for nothing and I believe it was the beginning of the end for the USA. Our moral decline from that point on. My Father, a 33yr USAF veteran realized what we were doing in 1968 and resigned.
“This is one of the most shameful events in the history of my country.” No disagreement here, but also don’t forget to add the pull out from Afghanistan in 2021. That was utterly disgraceful and unforgivable. Shame on the politician who ordered it and on the general officers who didn’t fall on their swords and refuse to execute such a fiasco.
Bryan, Wikipedia states that the helicopter you identify as a 204B is a 305D, as you state later. Are these indeed two different types?
I realize that I made a typo in the article and photo captions, as well as my reply to your question. What I labeled as a “Bell 205D” is actually a Model 205A or 205A-1. The 205A is the commercial variant of the military UH-1D, while the 205A-1 is the equivalent of the UH-1H. The primary difference is the engine. . . I stand by my assertion that the helicopter in the first photograph is a 204B. . . An interesting side note: Air America did not use military Hueys. They used commercial variants for “deniablity.”