Tragedy Over Saigon: Operation Baby Lift Crashes
A U.S. Air Force C-5A Galaxy, the largest aircraft in the American fleet, crashed into a rice paddy two miles from Saigon's Tan Son Nhut airport on April 4, 1975, during Operation Babylift. The rear cargo door blew out at 23,000 feet, severing control cables. The pilot managed to circle back to the airport but the plane broke apart on impact. Of the 328 people aboard, 138 died, including 78 children. The crash was the deadliest in C-5 history. Despite the disaster, Operation Babylift continued for three more weeks, ultimately evacuating over 3,300 orphans to the United States, Australia, France, and Canada before Saigon fell on April 30.
April 4, 1975
51 years ago
Key Figures & Places
South Vietnam
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Vietnam War
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Saigon
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United States Air Force
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Operation Baby Lift
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C-5 Galaxy
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Lockheed C-5A Galaxy
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Vietnam War
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Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
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Operation Babylift
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1975 Tan Son Nhut Lockheed C-5 crash
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Ho Chi Minh City
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South Vietnam
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United States Air Force
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