Lana Noone is honored to announce the Vietnam "Operation Babylift" 35th Anniversary Program
Saturday, April 24, 2010
New Jersey Vietnam Era Educational Center
Holmdel, New Jersey
There will be an 11:00 a.m. speakers program with an afternoon screening of Tammy Nguyen Lee's Award-Winning Film, "Operation Babylift - The Lost Children of Vietnam".
Q and A to follow with several cast and crew members participating.
Reception to follow.
Please contact lananoone@yahoo.com for complete details.
Travel details are at www.njvvmf.org
The web site's editor has recently reconnected with retired Colonel Robert Kane, who will receive the Heather Constance Noone Memorial Award for his efforts during "Operation Babylift".
Colonel Kane was Commanding Officer at The Presidio, San Francisco, California in April, 1975 when he authorized the Presidio to become the entry point into the United States for the orphans who were due to arrive in the US via the April 2, 1975 World Airways flight. He did so after receiving a telephone call from Ed Daly's daughter, Charlotte, while the World Airways flight was en route to Oakland, CA.
After President Ford implemented Operation Babylift on April 3, 1975, 1,500 Babylift adoptees were processed at The Presidio.
Colonel Kane, his staff, and many volunteers implemented SPOVO-Support of Vietnamese Orphans during this time, thus allowing the adoptees to be accepted at this entry location.
In the opinion of this editor, without Colonel Kane's humanitarian decision, Babylift might never have become a reality.
The Vietnam Babylift web site is grateful to have the opportunity to recognize unsung Babylift hero retired Colonel Robert Kane.
Photos of the Vietnam "Operation Babylift" Ceremony, held at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan on May 22, 2007 may be viewed on the Museum's website at:
www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/photogallery/babylift.asp
Additional photos will soon be available on the Vietnam Babylift web site at www.Vietnambabylift.org.
The Tribute Ceremony was an outstanding Event with tributes to President Ford presented by:
Lana Noone, Event Coordinator, "Operation Babylift" Archivist...Heather Constance Noone Memorial Award co-presenter;
Bernie Duff, Artist, Vietnam veteran...unveiled his extraordinary "Welcome Home" painting of President Ford greeting the first Babylift arrivals;
Linda Adams, C5A survivor, civilian;
Tia Keevil, Babylift adoptee, co-presenter Heather Constance Noone Memorial Award;
Ross Meador, FCVN Babylift Field Director;
Philip Wise, C5A survivor, military.
The Heather Constance Noone Memorial Award, presented posthumously to President Ford for his implementation of "Operation Babylift", was created and designed by Vietnam veteran Charlie Wilber.
The Babylift Collection is now part of the Ford Museum's permanent exhibit.
Please contact Lana Noone at Lana@Vietnambabylift.org for complete details.
Lana Noone
Author, "Global Mom: Notes From a Pioneer Adoptive Family"
Email: www.Vietnambabylift.org
Web site: Lana@Vietnambabylift.org
The Vietnam Babylift was a unique
event . . . a moment in time when many threads of the Vietnam era joined together
in a humanitarian effort. It was one of the extraordinary events of the 20th century.
Future generations might well consider it to have been the moment when the "global
family" became a reality in communities throughout the United States.
During the upcoming 35th Anniversary Year of the Vietnam Babylift (2010),
I invite colleges, universities and secondary schools to consider Babylift as
a seminar, conference, and curriculum topic.
I also encourage museum
curators to create Babylift exhibits and programs, and I would be pleased to assist
with planning these programs as needed.
This site will not politicize
Babylift. Its purpose is to gather as much information as possible about Babylift
and make it available to our visitors. It was born of a promise I made to my daughter,
Heather Constance Noone / Mai Ngoc Tranh before she died on May 17, 1975. As my
husband and I watched Heather's life slip away, I told her how sorry I was that
medicine couldn't save her. I pledged to do whatever I could to help the world
remember Babylift and her short life. Heather was born somewhere in Vietnam circa
February, 1975 and, although critically ill, was flown halfway around the world
in a valiant attempt to save her life. That effort failed but her beautiful spirit
did not.
I hope this site will become the legacy of all whose lives were
affected by "The Vietnam Era." Efforts failed and a tragic number of
lives were lost. However, our spirits remain strong. I welcome you to this web
site no matter where or how the Vietnam Era affected your life. In the words of
the traditional spiritual . . . "Great Day! This is the Day of the Jubilee."
Let us come together in a spirit of hope and reconciliation, not because we were
"right" and someone else was "wrong" but because, at a moment
in time, over 2500 children in harm's way were brought to safety.
In
Heather's memory - and in honor of all who died too soon - I welcome you. We have
come a long way during a dark night and I hope that within this site we can join
together to welcome the dawn of a new day.
Peace and blessings,
Lana
Noone
Email: lana@vietnambabylift.org
Vietnam Babylift 35th Anniversary Year Tribute
As we enter the final months of the Vietnam Babylift 35th anniversary year, I would like to recognize all who were involved in Babylift 35 years ago.
The list is too lengthy for me to mention each one individually, so...my tribute will be a general one. Please be assured that I, and my family, thank each of you very much.
Thirty years ago, my husband, Byron Michael Noone wrote that when our daughter, Heather Constance Noone, was placed in his arms at the airport, "Heather's and my eyes met. I tried to communicate with words and gestures."
Shortly before she died, just weeks later, Byron wrote, "Our eyes no longer met. She had her eyes set toward Jerusalem".
Those weeks were the beginning of my family's Babylift story.
My daughter, Jennifer Nguyen Noone, a Vietnam Babylift adoptee, wrote that, "the Vietnam Babylift was a moment of great spiritual significance...the beginning of the healing process between the United States and Vietnam".
My son, Jason Paik Noone, a Korean adoptee, wrote about Korean adoptions, in words that are appropriate for all international adoptions. He wrote that he "cherishes all those who set aside their own dreams and allowed others to have their dreams come true...eternally grateful to them".
I am eternally grateful to all of you.
Last April, I assisted with the Babylift 30th Anniversary Program at the New Jersey Vietnam Era Educational Center, in Holmdel, New Jersey. During the program, we recognized the Babylift participants and April 2, 2005 was proclaimed "Vietnam Babylift Day" by the acting Governor of New Jersey.
Additional 30th anniversary events took place at the Pearl S. Buck Institute, the VAN Reunion, the Pan Am Reunion and at the National Vietnam Veterans' Art Museum in Chicago, Illinois.
In June, Jennie and I participated in the World Airways Babylift trip to Vietnam and we conducted a memorial ceremony for Heather and Byron in Saigon/HCMC. During the ceremony, we remembered all who died during Babylift. We sang:
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see".
I believe that one day all those whose lives were affected by Babylift will see one anather "face to face". I pray that children of future generations will never face separation from their birth families, especially due to war or economic injustice.
Thank you to all who sacrificed so much 35 years ago for the Vietnam Babylift children. You have a place in our hearts forever and we will never forget you.
Peace and Blessings,
Lana Noone.
Please click on the "Recognition" page for a special tribute to World Airways for their sponsorship of "Operation Babylift-Homeward Bound", the June, 2005 official trip to Vietnam for 21 Vietnam Babylift adoptees, their guests, and other invited guests.
The tribute includes several letters and a trip journal. In addition, photos of the trip are posted on the "Images" page, and Bob Shane's article about the trip is posted on the "In the News" page.