National Museum of the U.S. Navy

Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) historian, Dr. John Sherwood talks about Operation Frequent Wind--the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam, before the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) in the Fall of Saigon. These pivotal events were carried out on 29–30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War.  The Navy assisted in the evacuation and rescue of the more than 7,000 people—many airlifted by helicopter from various points in Saigon.

About the Speaker: Dr. John Sherwood received his Master’s degree in history from Columbia University and his PhD in history from The George Washington University.  His work as a Department of the Navy civilian historian concentrates on contemporary military history with a research focus on humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Currently one of several civilian historians assigned to the Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC (NHHC), he is the first scholar at NHHC to have received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award.