The view looking aft and down from the flight deck into the cargo compartment of a C130A Hercules ...

The view looking aft and down from the flight deck into the cargo compartment of a C130A Hercules transport aircraft (A97-209), of No 36 Squadron, RAAF, which is full of South Vietnamese refugees fleeing from the North Vietnamese Army (NVA), who were then in the process of overrunning the northern towns and cities of South Vietnam. In late March 1975, the Australian Government decided to provide seven RAAF C130 transport aircraft for the purpose of evacuating some of the South Vietnamese civilians trapped in these threatened northern cities. In all, seven C130s comprising C130As from 36 Squadron and C130Es from 37 Squadron evacuated more than 100 refugees each from Phan Rang airport, south of the city of Nha Trang, to the safer town of Can Tho, approximately 150 kilometres southwest of Saigon. To maximise the number of passengers, no seats or seatbelts were fitted although fabric cargo tie down straps were fitted to the deck of the cargo compartment which provided some restraint for the passengers. This aircraft was piloted and captained by 43754 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Brian Geoffrey Young, No 36 Squadron, RAAF. Over the course of the next few days, Flt Lt Young and his crew members made humanitarian flights to a refugee camp at An Thoi, bringing in food, blankets, tents and other items from Saigon. The Australian aircrew are unidentified.