The fall of Saigon, April 30, 1975, marked the end of the Vietnam War and the capture of Saigon by North Vietnamese forces. Chaos ensued as the North Vietnamese advanced southward leading to that momentous event 4o years ago. In the days before the fall of Saigon, all American military and civilians were evacuated along with thousands of South Vietnamese in Operation Frequent Wind, the largest helicopter evacuation in history.
In this photo, a Roman Catholic priest helps an elderly villager brave the windy rotor blast from a government helicopter as they run to board it from west of Tuy Hoa in Vietnam, March 27, 1975. They were among thousands of refugees from the Central Highlands who were picked up along the central coast.