PUBLICATIONS:
LA Times, September 1992,
LA Weekly, April 1993,
Book; LYING EYES, - Thunder's Mouth Press, 1994 by Tom Owens, (available via amazondotcom for 99 cents)
Star Chamber � 1999 by Tom Owens,
The Code, � 1999 by Tom Owens,
Down by Law,theatrical treatment and screenplay � 2000 by Tom Owens,
OPED: OC Register article, Dec. 2002 Ya simply gotta luv em.
Beware the Snake Oil? LA Daily Journal July 2004 � Tom Owens,
Article re LAPD Officer Misconduct, July 2004� Tom Owens - San Francisco Daily Journal
Other Comments:
FOR THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR IT, FREEDOM HAS A FLAVOR THE PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW (Unknown Vietnam era author)
Description Operation Babylift was the name given to the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to the United States and other countries (including Australia, France, and Canada) at the end of the Vietnam War (see also the Fall of Saigon), on April 3-26, 1975. By the final American flight out of South Vietnam, over 10,300 infants and children had been evacuated, although the actual number has been variously reported. Along with Operation New Life, over 110,000 refugees were evacuated from South Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War. Thousands of children were airlifted from Vietnam and adopted by families around the world.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
April / 1975
To Month/Year
April / 1975
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories From Wikipedia:
A C-5A Galaxy 68-0218 flew the initial mission of Operation Babylift to bring Vietnamese orphans to the US in the few remaining days before the Republic of Vietnam fell.
The C-5 departed Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport shortly after 4 p.m. on April 4, 1975. Twelve minutes after takeoff, there was what seemed to be an explosion as the lower rear fuselage was torn apart. The locks of the rear loading ramp had failed, causing the door to open and separate.
A rapid decompression occurred. Control and trim cables to the rudder and elevators were severed, leaving only one aileron and wing spoilers operating. Two of the four hydraulic systems were out.
The crew wrestled at the controls, managing to keep control of the plane with changes in power settings by using the one working aileron and wing spoilers.The crew descended to an altitude of 4,000 feet on a heading of 310 degrees in preparation for landing on Tan Son Nhut's runway 25L. About halfway through a turn to final approach, the rate of descent increased rapidly. Seeing they couldn't make the runway, full power was applied to bring the nose up.
The C-5 touched down in a rice paddy. Skidding for a quarter of a mile, the aircraft again became airborne for a half mile before hitting a dike and breaking into four parts, some of which caught fire. 175 of the 328 aboard survived.
