OPERATION BABYLIFT COLLECTION
Archives and Records
Operation Babylift Collection project compiles and organizes adoptee records and files into a consolidated archival resource.
PROJECT UPDATE 12/5/2024:
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Conversations with the Library of Congress are underway to develop an Operation Babylift Collection.
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The Orphans of War: Operation Babylift Exhibit by Devaki Murch will open February 1-28 at Regis University in Denver CO. An opening fireside reception will be held on February 6 at 5:30-6:30 followed by a presentation by Mary Nelle Gage.
OPERATION BABYLIFT COLLECTION
“Operation Babylift Collection” is an project focused on assessing, organizing and cataloging Operation Babylift files into a archival collection and searchable database for research.
In April 1975, as Saigon fell, thousands of children were airlifted to safety in one of the largest wartime evacuations in history. The children were transported to adoptive families worldwide. Despite its historical significance, many aspects of this operation were unknown, and its participants—adoptees, caregivers, and aid workers—often lack a cohesive record of their experiences - until now.
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This project will digitize and cross-reference existing records, including flight manifests, nursery logs, adoption files, and personal correspondence and files, to create a cohesive and accessible archive while ensuring security and privacy.
We are working with Regis College to collect new oral histories from adoptees, families, and aid workers to preserve their personal perspectives. Through community outreach and academic programming, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of Operation Babylift and its impact on individuals and communities.
Operation Babylift: 50 Year Commemoration
- Thu, Feb 06Regis University, Dalton LibraryFeb 06, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PMRegis University, Dalton Library, 3333 Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221, USAFeb 06, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PMRegis University, Dalton Library, 3333 Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221, USAThe Center For War Experiences at Regis University will host “Orphans of War: Operation Babylift Exhibit” in February 2025. The exhibit illustrates the multifaceted narrative of Operation Babylift in April 1975 and how it has evolved over the past 50 years.
- Thu, Apr 03Regis UniversityApr 03, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMRegis University, 3333 Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221, USA
- Thu, Apr 24Cradle of Aviation MuseumApr 24, 2025, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PMCradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Blvd, Garden City, NY 11530, USA
- Sun, Apr 14East Window GalleryApr 14, 2024, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PMEast Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway Suite C-3B2, Boulder, CO 80304, USAApr 14, 2024, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PMEast Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway Suite C-3B2, Boulder, CO 80304, USAEast Window Gallery is honored to host a day of film screenings, poetry, story telling, visual art, music, food, reflection and discussion on the lasting impacts and multifaceted experiences of the Vietnam war.