BATTLE OF BRITAIN ‘LACE’
As the 50th anniversary of Operation Babylift nears on 30 April 2025, the Air Force Association (AFA) remembers the Royal Australian Air Force’s vital contribution to this historic humanitarian effort.
In April 1975, as Saigon faced imminent collapse under Viet Cong pressure, the RAAF’s 36 and 37 Squadrons, alongside the US Air Force, evacuated hundreds of orphans from the war-torn city.
RAAF C-130 Hercules aircraft, supported by the versatile C-47 Dakota for logistical tasks, transported these children – many in fragile condition – from Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut Airport to Butterworth, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand, before their resettlement in Australia and other countries.
Operating under challenging conditions, RAAF air and ground crews worked to provide safe passage as the conflict intensified.
The operation saw a tragic setback when a US C-5A Galaxy crashed on 4 April, killing 78 children, but the RAAF’s efforts continued, successfully airlifting hundreds to safety.
Lachlan Guselli, an ABC journalist, is collating material for an ABC story to mark this milestone and is seeking firsthand accounts or records.
Noting that many crew members from that time have passed away, the AFA encourages members with relevant memories, photographs or documentation from Operation Babylift to contribute.
Please contact Lachlan directly at guselli.lachlan@abc.net.au or 0490 379225 to share details that could enhance this account of the RAAF’s role in the operation.
Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia – A war orphan starts school in Australia. NAA: A1501, A11167. https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/immigration-and-citizenship/migrant-stories/vietnam/operation-babylift