Operation Passage to Freedom began 10 August 1954 with the simultaneous arrival in Haiphong of Admiral Sabin to coordinate with the French and the attack transport USS Menard, (APA-201), to pick up the first load of refugees. Eventually the Task Force grew to 109 ships and craft. By the time Operation Passage to Freedom terminated on 20 May 1955 293,000 civilians, 17,800 Vietnamese military personnel, 8,135 vehicles and over 68,000 tons of cargo had been relocated below the Demilitarized Zone, (DMZ) at the 17th parallel.