Operation Babylift Commemorative Ceremony

Date: Wednesday, 23 July 2025

Time: 8.30 am

Location: Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial

Parking: Free visitor parking is available in the P1 and P2 carparks. Taxi, rideshare, or private drop offs are located in the P1 Visitor Carpark and access is via Fairbairn Avenue.

Please see the event map for further directions. 

After decades of war in South Vietnam, a humanitarian mission named Operation Babylift was launched to evacuate more than 3,000 orphaned children by military and civilian air transport to the United States and other safe haven countries around for world for adoption, including Australia.

This ceremony commemorates the 50th anniversary, honouring those involved and acknowledging the lives saved and lost during this mission.

Members of the public are welcome to attend. The ceremony will be held outdoors and is a standing event, please dress for weather conditions on the day.

For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be live streamed on the Memorial’s YouTube channel and the recording available on the Memorial website. As this is a public event, attendees acknowledge that they may be filmed/photographed. 

For further information about the commemorative ceremony, please email ceremony@awm.gov.au or visit the 37 Squadron (RAAF) Association website.