CH-46 Sea Knight: From Nam to Astan

While the US military evacuates and the panicking Afghan army collapses or defects, a weary veteran who has experienced such a withdrawal before is left behind – and falls into the hands of the enemy.

The brave CH-46 Sea Knight is a helicopter with serial number 154038. It likely participated in the evacuation of Americans and South Vietnamese from Saigon in 1975, as the North Vietnamese Army captured the city at the end of the Vietnam War. Today, its story ends in Kabul:

The mission known as "Operation Frequent Wind" was tasked with evacuating American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from the crumbling country. 154038 participated in this operation, which was first assigned to the US Marine Corps in 1967. During Frequent Wind, 154038 was photographed aboard the USS Hancock to immortalize its participation in this chapter of history.

The old helicopter 154038 changed owners several times until 2011. Documents obtained from Helis.com indicate that it was transferred to the Bureau of International Narcotics of the US Department of State on December 5. From 2015 to 2020, this venerable ex-Marine aircraft was in service in Afghanistan under its new owner before being handed over to Red Air Transport, who decided to keep the helicopter in the country. Here is the interior of a CH-46 in operation with a journalist's insightful commentary on the security situation in Afghanistan in 2018:

These days the moment has come again for the helo: on August 15, 2021, 154038 was sighted evacuating US personnel from the US Embassy in Kabul alongside other Chinook helicopters – much more modern successor models. Acting as a rescue aircraft shuttling between the embassy and the airport while the Taliban are already in the city and controlling the streets.

In response to a post on the Facebook page of the Barstool Operators, where pictures of the seasoned warbird were shown, an individual who wished to remain anonymous claimed to be the son of the man who flew 154038.

"This [CH-]46 was flown by my father," said the poster, noting that 154038 was the only CH-46 of the DoS that "was flying all day in and out of the embassy today." It goes on to say, "After [his father] landed for the last time, they deactivated everything they could on this bird and now leave it standing at the airport."

Marines evacuating US embassy personnel. Behind the CH-46 at the final parking spot. And so it seems that this is the end of 154038, who now joins the remnants of other war gear from the United States, the Soviet Union, and other nations that are no longer needed.

A faithful workhorse to the end, the "little Sea Knight that could": Rest in Peace, 154038. You were not just a good Sea Knight – you were one of the best.