OPERATION EAGLE PULL

Operation Eagle Pull was the American evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on April 12, 1975. The plan was developed and refined as Khmer Rouge forces closed in on the Cambodian capital city, starting as early as 1973. In a period of less than two hours, Marine Corps and Air Force helicopters transferred 82 Americans, 159 Cambodians, and 35 other nationals to U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf of Thailand. No casualties were sustained in the operation.

Operation EAGLE PULL information
for 40 ARRS
31 MAU
21 SOS

From date 730413 to 750412

40 ARRS was a US Air Force unit
31 MAU was a US Marine Corps unit
21 SOS was a US Air Force unit
Primary service involved, US Air Force
Operation EAGLE PULL
Cambodia
Location, Phnom Penh

 
Description:  The Commander in Chief, Pacific assigned the CG of the 7th Air Force the responsibility for the planning and conduct of the noncombatant emergency evacuation of Cambodia, operation EAGLE PULL. Several options were considered but the planners correctly decided that if fixed-wing aircraft could not use the only major airfield, Pochentong, at Phnom Penh; then long-range CH-53 helicopters would have to be used. At this time the USAF had the 56th SOW and the 3d ARRG as its primary assets. This included the 21st SOS equipped with CH-53s and the 40th ARRS with HH-53s. USAF C-130s would serve as the airborne control. So long as there was sufficient reaction time, the Marine 31st MAU/ARG would provide the security force. The KC started their dry season offensives in early Jan 1974 and 31 Dec 1974. The American planners continually watched the war in Cambodia and made adjustments to the operation plans.

We launched out of NKP for Ubon AB the day before.  We took all 10 CH-53s from NKP and the 40th went also.  We launched out of Ubon early the next morning.  We served as a diversion.  The Marines left ships in the gulf and picked up the US personnel. Our helicopters picked up some of the marines that were taken in for security during the evacuation.

We returned to NKP flying in a 10-ship formation, trailing smoke from grenades on safety wire from the ramps. I have a copy of the NKP newspaper with a picture covering the whole page of the paper in V formation and the whole base saw us.  (Jim Duffy)

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