Vietnam Veterans Day

The Battle of Long Tan, in Phuong Tuy Province, South Vietnam, on 18th August 1966, has been adopted as Vietnam Veterans Day in honour of the 47,000 Australian troops who served during the ten-year war, of which 520 were killed in action or died of wounds, with 2,400 wounded.

This year marks 60 years since Australian Army Advisors/Trainers (known as ‘the Team’) arrived in Saigon on 3rd August 1962 and 50 years since the withdrawal of all Australian troops in December 1972.

Near the village of Long Tan, in a rubber plantation, on 18th August 1966, 108 soldiers of D Company, 6 RAR, were ambushed by a vast Viet Cong (VC)force. A ferocious intense battle took place in the space of approximately three hours, all the while during a torrential tropical downpour. The Eleventh Platoon was pinned down and received heavy casualties. Twelfth Platoon eventually was able to assist their mate’s drawback.

Aerial bombing support was impossible due to torrential rain. The saviour for D Company came from the deadly accuracy from Nui Dat-based artillery, aided by a New Zealand forward observer attached to D Company.

As the pouring rain eased off, the VC’s incessant attack ceased, followed by their withdrawal, and the next day revealed the enemy’s outcome. It took three days to bury the 245 VC dead.

Upon learning of the Aussie Digger’s incredible feat, USA Commander General Westmoreland visited the burial party to lend moral support.

Australian casualties were 18 killed and 24 wounded; these remained the most in any one battle by Australia during the Vietnam War.

D Company was awarded the following USA Presidential Unit Citation for their remarkable achievement at Long Tan -

D Company Sixth Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, distinguished itself by extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations against an opposing armed force in Vietnam on 18th August 1966. While searching for Viet Cong in a rubber plantation north-east of Ba Bia, Phuong Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam, D Company met and immediately became engaged in heavy contact. As the battle developed, it became apparent that the men of D Company were facing a numerically superior force.

The platoon of D Company was surrounded and attacked on all sides by an estimated reinforced enemy battalion, using automatic weapons, small arms and mortars. Fighting courageously against a well-armed and determined foe, the men of D Company maintained their formations in a common perimeter defence and inflicted heavy casualties upon the Viet Cong. The enemy maintained a continuous, intense volume of fire and attacked repeatedly from all directions.

Each successive assault was repulsed by the courageous Australians. Heavy rainfall and a low ceiling prevented any friendly close air support during the battle. After three hours of savage attacks, having failed to penetrate the Australian lines, the enemy withdrew from the battlefield carrying many dead and wounded and leaving 245 Viet Cong dead forward of the defence position of D Company.

The conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity and indomitable courage of D Company were in the highest tradition of military valour and reflect great credit upon D Company, Sixth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and the Australian Army.

Several Australians and the New Zealander received individual awards for valour.

Sixth RAR Battalion troops were volunteers from Regular Army ranks and National Serviceman (‘Nashos’). National Service was reintroduced in March 1964 and ended in December 1972. Along with protesting against the Vietnam War, National Service created division in Australian public opinion. Nachos met the requirement to build up the military service numbers for the Australian Army.

Service was determined by a birthday ballot for twenty-year-old males, followed by rigorous selection criteria including medical, psychological, education, and security. Being for two years, with twelve months of intense high-standard training and twelve months of ongoing duty either in Australia or overseas.

Contrary to popular belief being a Nacho did not automatically mean a Vietnam War commitment. Those conscripts who put their hand up to go to Vietnam were trained to the highest army standard fit for jungle warfare. Also, assurance of the best state-of-the-art logistics, weaponry and medical support for the wounded.

The Vietnam War impacted the Australian psyche, as it was played out via television in our homes, creating much debate and divided opinion.

The Long Tan Cross was created in 1969 as a battlefield memorial.

The Cross was removed in 1975, however, it was recovered by the Dong Nai Museum in 1984 and was then gifted to Australia and is on permanent display, from 18th August 2018, at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

A replica Cross stands at the battlefield site in place of the original and is visited by Australian veterans of the Vietnam War. The government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam insists on strict protocols around the numbers attending and that ceremonies must be low-key, such as no uniforms or decorations to be worn.

References:

- The Spirit of the Digger, Patrick Lindsay, Pan MacMillan Australia, chapter 13: Vietnam War.
- www.monumentaustralia.org.au
- www.awm.gov.au (search - Long Tan Cross)