During the last days of the Vietnam war (April 1975) when the North Vietnam forces were overrunning the country, panicked South Vietnamese pilots were fleeing the country. These pilots were commandeering anything that would fly. They flew to U.S. aircraft carriers and ditched their planes in the sea. Others would fly into Thailand and abandon their aircraft.

A total of eleven Douglas Skyraiders would make it to U-Tapao, Thailand. Two American pilots (Jack Drummond and Roger Youngblood) were able to bring four of those Skyraiders to Ta Khli Air Base, Thailand. Eventually after an epic journey fraught with many dangers those four Skyraiders would eventually make their way to the United States. This Skyraider was the last aircraft to depart Vietnam before the country was overrun.