Vietnam is marking the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon today, commemorating the end of the Vietnam War. A military parade in Ho Chi Minh City—the former South Vietnamese capital of Saigon—is expected to draw more than 13,000 people, including delegations from several countries. US officials are not on the guest list, a mutual diplomatic decision despite improved relations in recent decades.

The anniversary marks the day North Vietnamese forces captured the city, ending nearly two decades of war and unifying the country under communist rule. Although American combat troops withdrew in 1973, thousands of personnel remained. On April 30, 1975, the US launched the largest helicopter evacuation in history—airlifting about 7,000 Americans and South Vietnamese civilians. The operation began with a coded broadcast of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” over Armed Forces Radio. The war’s end also prompted a large migration: Today, more than 1.3 million Vietnamese immigrants live in the US.

At the war’s peak, about 543,400 US troops were stationed in the country. The US continues to honor Vietnam veterans through a 13-year commemoration set to conclude on Veterans Day. See photos here.

LIFE Magazine June 12, 1964

LIFE Magazine November 26, 1965

LIFE Magazine February 11, 1966

LIFE Magazine October 28, 1966

LIFE Magazine August 25, 1967

LIFE Magazine June 27, 1969