well IMO the consultative should be named then taken out and disciplined probably shot at dawn

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Peter Sneddon
R95971
Ex CPOMTH4
18th JR Intake
23rd MOBI Intake
Jan 67 to July 91
Leeuwin, Nirimba, Sydney, Perth, FMP-W, Stuart, Penguin/Ships Divers course, Stuart, Lonsdale, Melbourne, Kuttabul, Cerberus, Stuart, Swan, Nirimba/ Q course, Cerberus, CPSO-M

Commemorate the 59th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan and Vietnam Veterans' Day



Australians and the Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was Australia's longest military engagement of the 20th Century.

The arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam in South Vietnam during July and August 1962 marked the start of Australia’s involvement in the war.

By the time the war had come to an end, almost 60,000 Australians served during a decade of conflict between 1962 and 1972. Tragically, 521 of them died and 3000 were wounded.

Battle of Long Tan

The Battle of Long Tan was a significant moment in Australia's war in Vietnam.

On 18 August 1966, in a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tan, Australian soldiers fought one of their fiercest battles of the war.

The men of Delta Company, 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, faced a force of some 2000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. The battle was fought in wet and muddy conditions during a heavy tropical downpour.

By the end of the day, 17 Australians had been killed in action and 25 were wounded, one of whom died a few days later. This was the largest number of casualties in a single operation since the Australian Task Force had established its base at nearby Nui Dat the previous April.

On this day, we commemorate all the battles fought by Australians in Vietnam, from large-scale operations to platoon and section-level encounters. We remember the sailors of the Royal Australian Navy who supported land operations, and members of the Royal Australian Air Force who served in combat and transport roles.

A day to say 'thank you'

On Vietnam Veterans' Day, we pause and reflect on the bravery, teamwork and endurance that Australians displayed throughout the war.

It's a day when we recognise all who served in Vietnam. We honour those veterans who:

-lost their lives during battle
-returned home wounded, ill or injured
-lost their lives in the years since they returned
-still carry the physical and emotional scars of their service
We also pause to reflect on the impact of service on our veterans' families.

The Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day Service in Canberra is organised each year by the Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Federation ACT Inc.

You can also attend the Last Post Ceremony - in person or via live stream - at the Australian War Memorial at 4:55pm AEST on Vietnam Veterans' Day. The ceremony will remember the service and sacrifice of someone who served during the Vietnam War.

Commemoration of our Vietnam veterans

Some veterans didn't feel properly honoured for having served their country in Vietnam. In 1987, veterans received the welcome home parade that some felt had been denied them when they returned from war. Around 22,000 Vietnam veterans marched through Sydney, in front of a crowd of some 100,000 Australians. The book Homecomings recounts those experiences.

The Vietnam Forces National Memorial on Anzac Parade in Canberra was officially dedicated on 3 October 1992. It commemorates all the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force and associated personnel who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

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Rick Pengilly
WEBMASTER
Ex-CPOMTH3
R42630
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'74
HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Melbourne - HMAS Cerberus - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Lonsdale - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Brisbane