MILITARY HERITAGE MUSEUM

YOU ARE INVITED!

Rear Admiral Lawrence Chambers USN (Ret) speaking on Operation Frequent Wind

May 15th at 11:00 am

At the NEW Military Heritage Museum

900 W. Marion Ave

Punta Gorda, FL 33950

Co-Sponsored with the US Naval Academy Alumni Association Florida Suncoast Chapter

Price: $30.00 Includes: Lunch (by FM Dons), Admiral Chambers presentation, & one day membership to all Museum premium activities.

RSVP in advance. Limited to the first 100 people

In April 1975, while in command of the aircraft carrier USS Midway, then Captain Chambers was ordered to "make best speed" to the waters off South Vietnam as North Vietnam overran the country to take part in Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of U.S. and South Vietnamese personnel. At the time the carrier was in Subic Bay Naval Base with the engineering plant partially torn apart. Soon the carrier's flight deck was full of helicopters carrying refugees from the fall of South Vietnam

Lawrence Cleveland "Larry" Chambers (born June 10, 1929) was the first African American to command a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and the first African-American graduate of the Naval Academy to reach flag rank. While in command of USS Midway during Operation Frequent Wind, Chambers gave the controversial order to push overboard millions of dollars' worth of UH-1 Huey helicopters so Republic of Vietnam Air Force Major Buang-Ly could land on the aircraft carrier in a Cessna O-1 Bird Dog with his wife and five children, thereby saving their lives.

Reserve your spot today!

Reservation Link