Martindale, continued Friday, May 2, 1975 Yeah, we got on the copters at 8:00 a.m. We took off at 10:20 though. I had a bit of diarrhea and made a couple of trips to the latr---, John, no--the head (Navy). We landed at U Tapoa (how do you spell it?) at 10:50 a.m., or… Continue reading That Ella Is Some Cook, Friday May 2, 1975
Tag: Vietnam
Word is that there was difficulty with the Thai Government on our coming in. May 1, 1975
Martindale continued Thursday, May 1, 1975 Nothing much during the morning. I heard that Ron Pollock left last night, with some of the Vietnamese girls who were assisting in registering the Vietnamese passengers, to take one of the Pioneer vessels to Guam. It will probably take a week. I can get there before that… Continue reading Word is that there was difficulty with the Thai Government on our coming in. May 1, 1975
We have now received some news and know that South Vietnam has surrendered. Wednesday, April 30, 1975
[Martindale, continued] Wednesday, April 30, 1975 After a pretty good night's sleep, I was up at 7:00 A.M. Men have the head for the first 30 minutes of every hour (7:00-7:30) and women and children the second 30 minutes. We heard that all Vietnamese would eat breakfast first because they would be flown by… Continue reading We have now received some news and know that South Vietnam has surrendered. Wednesday, April 30, 1975
Monday, April 28, 1975
[Martindale, continued] Monday, April 28, 1975 We proceeded pretty well on schedule and moved out of the bowling alley to an area next to the gym, probably around 4:30 A.M. I should say about one-half of our group did. I had made arrangements with the people at the processing gate to stage our people… Continue reading Monday, April 28, 1975
Sunday, April 27, 1975
[Martindale, continued] Sunday, April 27, 1975 On Sunday morning there was a meeting of Americans to learn the rules for taking the USAID people to the evacuation center at Tan Son Nhut airport. I was going to stay with them until they left for the airplane. Bill Rice escorted one bus load to the… Continue reading Sunday, April 27, 1975
Sunday, April 26, 1975
[Martindale, continued] Saturday, April 26, 1975 On Saturday our 5 Americans got together and started getting names of people to evacuate. As different crises came up, people left to handle them. I was finally working alone, which was actually faster even though I was continually diverted. We told our employees that if ineligible people… Continue reading Sunday, April 26, 1975
Monday, April 21 through Friday, April 25
[Martindale continued] Monday, April 21 through Friday, April 25 Starting Monday morning every day was hectic, especially with our reduced American staff. To take Mary Viszneki's place as secretary was Hiem (Miss) who had been our receptionist. As Chuck Yeomans had left his secretary, Miss Thao, didn't know what her job would be. She… Continue reading Monday, April 21 through Friday, April 25
Martindale, Short Intro
Thomas Kinton Martindale (1921-2000) was born in Tennessee. He flew "The Hump" in the Army Air Corps during WWII. The GI Bill helped put him through the University of Michigan and there he took a bachelor's and master's in accounting and secured his CPA. After some accounting jobs in the mid-west, he joined the U.S.… Continue reading Martindale, Short Intro
Thomas K. Martindale. Leaving Vietnam
INTRODUCTION I started writing this on Wednesday, April 30, 1975 while on board the USS Midway east of Vietnam. I hadn't been able to write home very often during the preceding two weeks so I wanted my family to know what I had been doing during those hectic days. They couldn't understand why I hadn't… Continue reading Thomas K. Martindale. Leaving Vietnam
Waiting For Charlemagne 