Vietnam Veterans day

[mrsmackpaul]

With everything going on in the world it is all to easy to forget things like this

Paul

 

 

Today marks the 55th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, which was fought on 18 August 1966.

On that day, 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought a pitched battle against more than 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops in a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tan. The Australians prevailed, but only after four hours of fighting in torrential rain. Nearly overrun, the Australians were saved by a timely ammunition resupply, accurate artillery fire from the nearby Australian base, and the arrival of reinforcements by armoured personnel carrier. Eighteen Australians lost their lives and 24 were wounded during the battle, the largest number of casualties in one operation since the arrival of the Australian task force a few months earlier. After the battle the bodies of 245 enemy soldiers were found, but there was evidence that many more bodies had been carried away.

On the third anniversary of Long Tan, 18 August 1969, the men of 6RAR raised a cross on the site of the battle to commemorate those who had died. Ten soldiers who fought at Long Tan in 1966 stood on either side of the cross, flanked by two pipers, for the dedication ceremony.

Following the communist victory in 1975 and the reunification of Vietnam, the Dong Nai Museum in Bien Hoa City acquired the Long Tan Cross. In 1989 the Long Dat District People’s Committee erected a replica cross on the original site. 

In August 2018 a permanent display of the Long Tan Cross was established in the Conflicts 1945 to Today Gallery. 

Find out more: https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/long-tan

Image: Vietnam Veteran Dave Sabben at the permanent display of the Long Tan Cross when it was unveiled on 17th August 2018. Photograph by Dave Whittaker, AWM2018.4.183.63

 

[mrsmackpaul]

Not a lot for me to add, this year marks 50 years since Australia's involvement started in Vietnam and 25 years since our troups were welcomed home officially 

 

There was a big welcome home parade in Sydney organised by the Veterans them selves, guessing they got sick of waiting for our spineless governments to extract a digit and do it for them 

If you have a hour or so to ponder things have a watch and see what you may or may not learn

 

Thanks to all who served 

 

Paul

[mrsmackpaul]

On 21 July 1969, Francis "Frankie" John Hunt was on patrol with 3 Platoon, A Company, 6RAR, when Lieutenant Peter Hines stepped on a mine, which activated and killed him. The explosion injured several others, including Hunt, who was standing closest to Hines. Hunt was air-lifted to the military hospital in Vung Tau and then evacuated to Australia for further surgery at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital to amputate his severely injured legs. He spent 19 months in rehabilitation in Australia.

In 1983, musician John Schumann wrote and released the song "I Was Only 19" which was performed by his band, Redgum. The song references Hunt and the mine explosion: "Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon" and was performed onstage in the Domain for the Vietnam veterans' reunion concert on 4 October 1987.

Image: Frankie onstage at the Vietnam veterans' reunion concert in the Domain, Sydney. Photographer: Michael Bowers, PAIU1987/272.28

 

Paul