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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: 
  • Conversations with the Library of Congress are underway to develop an Operation Babylift Collection.  

  • 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.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Operation Babylift: 50 Year Commemoration

  • Orphans of War: The Stories Behind Operation Babylift
    Orphans of War: The Stories Behind Operation Babylift
    Thu, Feb 06
    Regis University, Dalton Library
    Feb 06, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
    Regis University, Dalton Library, 3333 Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221, USA
    Feb 06, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
    Regis University, Dalton Library, 3333 Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221, USA
    The 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.
  • Motherland Tour 2025
    Motherland Tour 2025
    Sat, Mar 29
    Vietnam
    Mar 29, 2025, 8:00 AM – Apr 10, 2025, 7:00 PM
    Vietnam
    Mar 29, 2025, 8:00 AM – Apr 10, 2025, 7:00 PM
    Vietnam
    50 year commemoration of Operation Babylift in Vietnam, April 2025
  • Orphans of War:  Perspectives
    Orphans of War:  Perspectives
    Thu, Apr 03
    Regis University
    Apr 03, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
    Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221, USA
    Apr 03, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
    Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221, USA
  • 50th Anniversary of Operation Babylift Reunion
    50th Anniversary of Operation Babylift Reunion
    Thu, Apr 24
    Cradle of Aviation Museum
    Apr 24, 2025, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
    Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Blvd, Garden City, NY 11530, USA
    Apr 24, 2025, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
    Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Blvd, Garden City, NY 11530, USA
    April 24, Pan Am Museum, The Cradle of Aviation, https://www.thepanammuseum.org/
  • Orphans of War: 2024
    Orphans of War: 2024
    Sun, Apr 14
    East Window Gallery
    Apr 14, 2024, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
    East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway Suite C-3B2, Boulder, CO 80304, USA
    Apr 14, 2024, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
    East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway Suite C-3B2, Boulder, CO 80304, USA
    East 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.
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