that means the war will be over. >> reporter: only a teenager at the time, nick ut was a self- taught photographer who had replaced his photographer- brother killed earlier in the war. he covered the collapse of the south vietnamese army and the mass exodus of retreating military and civilians. all seeking a last sanctuary in the saigon area in april, 1975 >> even me i didn't think saigon fall right away maybe next two months, maybe two or three years. >> reporter: photojournalist nick wheeler on assignment for newsweek and u.p.i covered the fall of bien hoa. the last major military base just outside of saigon. and the initial shelling of the city. on the morning of april 29th, the advancing north vietnamese artillery had shutdown the airlift out of tan son nhut airport forcing the americans to implement their backup evacuation plan. >> the signal was to be through armed forces radio which was going to be playing "i'm dreaming of a white christmas". when we heard that on the radio we were to grab our bag and head to the evacuation point. >> reporter: wheeler's bus ended-up at the amer