The Tragic First Flight of Operation Babylift: When a Rescue Mission Turned into a Disaster

Table of Contents

• April 4, 1975: The Fateful Day of Operation Babylift’s First Flight

• Captain Dennis "Bud" Traynor’s Heroic Efforts to Save Lives

• The Devastating Impact: Casualties and Miraculous Survival

• Emotional Reunions and Lasting Impact of Operation Babylift

• Sharing the Story: "Operation Babylift: Mission Accomplished"

When North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon in April 1975, it marked the end of the Vietnam War. Amid the chaos, the U.S. launched a critical rescue mission known as Operation Babylift, aimed at evacuating thousands of Vietnamese orphans to safety in the United States. However, the first flight of this high-stakes operation ended in disaster and is remembered as a tragic chapter in aviation history.

April 4, 1975: The Fateful Day of Operation Babylift’s First Flight

On April 4, 1975, just weeks before Saigon's fall, the inaugural Operation Babylift flight took off with Captain Dennis "Bud" Traynor at the controls. The plane was carrying hundreds of young passengers, many under the age of two, who had to be carefully carried onto the aircraft. Tragically, the mission's first flight was doomed from the start when a catastrophic malfunction occurred shortly after takeoff. A severe failure caused the cargo doors to blow out, ripping off a section of the tail and leading to rapid decompression.

Captain Dennis "Bud" Traynor’s Heroic Efforts to Save Lives

Captain Traynor fought valiantly to regain control of the aircraft. "I'm pulling and pulling, and my nose is going down further and further," he recalls. Faced with no other option, he crash-landed the plane into a rice paddy. The impact was severe, and Traynor noted, "I thought to myself, 'I'm alive,'" despite the plane’s burning wings and the devastating wreckage.

The Devastating Impact: Casualties and Miraculous Survival

Out of the more than 300 people on board, including 78 children and about 50 adults, only 170 survived. Among the heroes was Col. Regina Aune, then a 1st lieutenant, who recalls securing the children with whatever she could find. When the cargo doors blew out, Aune saw the South China Sea through the gaping hole. Her quick thinking during the impact was crucial in saving lives. "I remember thinking, this plane is crashing, and I am going to live through it," Aune reflects on the crash.

Emotional Reunions and Lasting Impact of Operation Babylift

In the years that followed, the memories of the crash continued to haunt those involved. Aune attempted to trace the surviving children, but without a passenger manifest, it was a nearly impossible task. However, Aryn Lockhart, one of the orphans who survived and was raised in Northern Virginia, eventually reached out to Aune after reading a news article about her. Lockhart believed she was on that fateful flight, based on her research and adoptive parents’ stories.

Their emotional reunion was deeply moving. “I must have held Aryn in my arms,” Aune recalls, remembering the babies she briefly held. Their bond grew stronger as they traveled to Vietnam and visited the crash site together.

Captain Traynor also sought connections with other survivors by creating a Facebook group, which eventually grew to over 200 members. This community provided solace and a sense of family, with reunions and shared stories helping to heal old wounds. Aune found comfort in the survivors' gratitude and their newfound opportunities, easing her sorrow and grief.

Sharing the Story: "Operation Babylift: Mission Accomplished"

Aune and Lockhart chronicled their journey and the enduring impact of Operation Babylift in their book, "Operation Babylift: Mission Accomplished." The book details their incredible story of survival, heroism, and the profound legacy of a mission that emerged from the darkest days of war.