operation EAGLE PULL information
for 40 ARRS
31 MAU
21 SOS
From date 730413 to 750412
40 ARRS was a US Air Force unit
31 MAU was a US Marine Corps unit
21 SOS was a US Air Force unit
Primary service involved, US Air Force
Operation EAGLE PULL
Cambodia
Location, Phnom Penh
Description: The Commander in Chief, Pacific assigned the CG of the 7th Air Force the responsibility for the planning and conduct of the noncombatant emergency evacuation of Cambodia, operation EAGLE PULL. Several options were considered but the planners correctly decided that if fixed-wing aircraft could not use the only major airfield, Pochentong, at Phnom Penh; then long range CH-53 helicopters would have to be used. At this time the USAF had the 56th SOW and the 3d ARRG as its primary assets. This included the 21st SOS equipped with CH-53s and the 40th ARRS with HH-53s. USAF C-130s would serve as the airborne control. So long as there was sufficient reaction time, the Marine 31st MAU/ARG would provide the security force.
The KC started their dry season offensives in early Jan 1974 and 31 Dec 1974. The American planners continually watched the war in Cambodia and made adjustments to the operation plans.
The source for this information was The Marines in Vietnam Anthology P:213; Rand
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023