A Postscript to My Story

“The day of the last flight was Captain Bob Berg’s birthday, though he did not tell anyone until years later.  He also had a brother who was a POW in Vietnam, shot down early in the war and still a prisoner then.  Because of that fact, he was somewhat reluctant about going in and I also was a little concerned because my father-in-law had been Ambassador to Vietnam before the current Ambassador.
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Later, Laura Lee Gillespie wrote us the following:”

“Dear Gudrun, Pam, Sioux and Tra,

I reviewed my file box this morning and I came across a hand-held recorder that had a post-it labeled “Bob Berg.” I felt that I should transcribe this recording so you would know what Bob had to say.

“Laura Lee, this is Bob Berg and I’m calling to thank you for my pictures, and for the chance to see you again. I have a feeling — I’ve many times thought — that you people were not truly aware of the actual danger that you were in the whole while. In fact, when I left Manilla I took just enough fuel to go back to Saigon and back to Manila. When we got to Manila they wouldn’t let us land so we went up to Clark and I had enough fuel to get to Manila plus 45 minutes where it was just enough fuel to get back to Clark, so we landed with 15 minutes left of gas and I didn’t bother to tell you people because I figured you’d be worried. It was a very dangerous mission and I was so extremely proud of you all for volunteering and going along with that. Anyway I appreciate your pictures very much. Thanks a lot. Bye Bye.”

I thought you would value these comments and wanted to share them with you.

Laura Lee”

4 thoughts on “

A Postscript to My Story

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  2. Last weekend neighbors I’d never met came to help pick the last 80 oranges from the top of my tree to donate to Meals on Wheels!.
    Robert told me he was 17 and got out the last week of the fall of Saigon! He knew no one, spent years in Texas where he met his wife and now retired to Orange County.
    Your story is amazing and I can just picture Robert there with you.
    Thank you for sharing.

    PS. In the late 70s I was flying DC10 trips around the South Pacific occasionally having a room of Vietnamese survivors.

  3. Oh Pam! I remember all of the heartbreak that surrounded the flights prior to the last flight out! Having flown into Saigon consistently from 1970 to the end of the war. I was a couple of days ahead of you! Our beautiful 747 rescued hundreds of people. The crew hugged each other and cried for these people having to leave their country.

  4. Hi..my lame is Christophe martelet. I am a cabin crew for airfrance since 1986. I am still flying…not vert much since the covid. I am amazing about that trip to Saigon. I admired you. My tears are on my lips. I just cannot believed what you have all done…with PanAm crew. You are wonderfull. I have no words to thank you. You are all angels.

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