Good-bye Tan Son Nhut ... March or April? The exact date escapes me right now. Had just finished TDY tour at Bien Hoa with the 377th SPS, Det 1. Spent several tours of duty outside of Peace Commission talks which began at Tan Son Nhut, in January 1973. I recall the humiliation of standing next to VC counterpart during the talks. NLF Delegation had been afforded the comforts of Camp Alpha during peace talks.

Secretary Kissinger and Vice President Agnew had been through TSN, evidently, to convince RSVN President Thieu that the bogus peace pact was a good one. Anyway our bags were packed and it was obvious that we were leaving any day. At some point after returning from Bien Hoa, our 377th SPS air base defense unit was incorporated into the 377th SPS Law Enforcement unit. I think this is how I found myself on the Main Gate at TSN on the final night of the 1973 American military withdrawal from Vietnam.

It was not like the chaotic end of the American presence in RSVN which was to occur in 1975. As a matter of fact, it looked like it was just going to be another long and boring late shift. The lumbering C-130 gun ship circled above, dropping illuminating flares and it was approaching 2 A.M. My Quah Canh (QC) partner and I were somewhat surprised when a deuce and a half pulled up and the driver said to me, "Get On." I think, I hesitated for half a second and was about to say good-bye to the QC. But he turned his back on us, not looking very pleased. I don't blame him. I knew and he knew that his future was not too bright. I very quickly got over his problem and hopped onto the back of the truck.

Back in the cantonment area, we changed into khaki uniforms and were transported out to the flight line. To my astonishment, two TWA 747's were parked on the tarmac. Cool! Maybe they had round eyed stewardesses aboard! It seemed like forever that we stood loosely about in ranks and the large, bright orange sun was beginning to come up. It was daylight when a convoy of vehicles pulled up. Out alighted all kinds of official looking people.

I recall at least one table being set up with chairs. An NLF official was chatting on a field phone. And I'll never forget the female VC with a green chiffon scarf wrapped around her pith helmet. She began photographing us with an old (I think, eastern-block) camera. We began to board. Some of us flipped the female VC the bird. "VC, beaucoupe toom-toom!"

Good-bye Tan Son Nhut.

A1C George T. Leather