In April 1975, South Vietnam was on the verge of collapse. As North Vietnamese forces advanced towards Saigon, orphaned babies adopted by American families needed a way out. President Gerald Ford initiated Operation Babylift, a mass evacuation humanitarian mission that ultimately saved thousands of lives. On this episode of DIA Connections, we examine the Defense Intelligence Agency’s successful rescue mission, despite its tragic start when the first plane leaving Saigon crashed, killing 138 of the 316 on board, including five DIA employees. We spoke with two survivors who shared their emotional stories of that fateful day, the pilot, Col. Dennis “Bud” Traynor and medical crew director Regina Aune. You’ll also hear from two of the babies who were airlifted to safety and as adults have honored their past in very different ways. One writes and sings about his life as an adoptee, the other works for the Agency that helped bring her to America, the DIA.
