page_title: Operation Eagle Pull
section_title: Evacuation fleet
hierarchical_section_title: Operation Eagle Pull / Evacuation fleet
caption_attribution_description: English: HMH-462 helicopters and Operation Eagle Pull evacuation fleet
context_page_description: Operation Eagle Pull was the United States military evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April 1975. At the beginning of April 1975, Phnom Penh, one of the last remaining strongholds of the Khmer Republic, was surrounded by the Khmer Rouge and totally dependent on aerial resupply through Pochentong Airport. With a Khmer Rouge victory imminent, the US government made contingency plans for the evacuation of US nationals and allied Cambodians by helicopter to ships in the Gulf of Thailand. Operation Eagle Pull took place on the morning of 12 April 1975 and was a tactical success carried out without any loss of life. Five days later the Khmer Republic collapsed and the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh.
context_section_description: On 3 March 1975 Amphibious Ready Group Alpha (Task Group 76.4), and the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit (Task Group 79.4) embarked and arrived at the designated station off Kampong Som in the Gulf of Thailand, the force comprised:
  Task Group 76.4 (Movement Transport Group Alpha)
  USS Okinawa carrying HMH-462 comprising 14 CH-53, 3 CH-46, 4 AH-1J, and 2 UH-1E helicopters
  USS Vancouver
  USS Thomaston
  Escort ships for naval gunfire, escort, and area defense:
  USS Edson
  USS Henry B. Wilson
  USS Knox
  USS Kirk
  On 17 March the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concerned that one Marine helicopter squadron was insufficient for the evacuation, ordered that USS Hancock offload its air wing and proceed to Pearl Harbor. On 26 March Marine Heavy Lift Helicopter Squadron HMH-463 comprising 25 CH-53, CH-46, AH-1J and UH-1E helicopters embarked on USS Hancock and it proceeded to Subic Bay. After taking on more helicopters at Subic Bay, USS Hancock was temporarily assigned to Amphibious Ready Group Bravo, standing by off Vung Tau, South Vietnam, but on 11 April she joined Amphibious Ready Group Alpha in the Gulf of Thailand.  The marine evacuation contingent comprised one battalion landing team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4).
  As the Khmer Rouge had no air force and only limited anti-aircraft capability, no fleet air cover was necessary, but the evacuation was supported by USAF aircraft based in Thailand. It was suspected that the Khmer Rouge might possess SA-7 shoulder-launched surface to air missiles and so the evacuation helicopters were painted with infra-red low-reflective paint and equipped with ALE-29 flare dispensers.
caption: HMH-462 helicopters and Operation Eagle Pull evacuation fleet
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