Australia's Involvement In Vietnam
By
Tony Blake

Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War started in August 1962 with the formation and posting in country of the unit know as AATTV, or the 'TEAM'. The Australian Army Training Team Vietnam was to become one of the most well known units in the Vietnam War winning in the process four Victoria Crosses and scores of other decorations.
The first deployment saw 30 officers and NCOs sent to help train the ARVN, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Although the Team were integrated into the US Adviser framework the "Aussies" quickly established themselves as independent thinkers and brave soldiers.

Over the years the 'TEAM' deployment of officers or warrant officers reached a figure of 100 in country and were rotated after a one-year 'tour'. From 1970 till its disbandment the figure increased to 222 of all ranks. The 'Team' was in the field with the units they were training both ARVN units and Special Forces. The 'Team' was withdrawn from Vietnam and disbanded on 19 December 1972.

The 'Team' had 990 members during the war, of which 30 were KIA and 122 WIA. Together, with the Award of the Victoria Crosses, the 'Team' members were decorated with, 2 DSOs, 3 OBEs, 6 MBEs, 6 MCs, 20 DCMs, and 49 MIDs. The unit was awarded the US Meritorious Unit Citation and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

During May-June 1965, following a decision by the Australian Government to assist the government of Vietnam further, one of the battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment arrived in Vietnam together with a logistic support element. Later in September artillery, armoured personnel carriers, (APCs or Tracks) engineers, and army light aircraft arrived to support the 1st Battalion RAR.
 
 

The Royal Australian Regiment had been formed in 1948 with three Battalions, 1, 2, & 3, also written as 1RAR, 2RAR, and 3RAR. At this stage the Regiment was fully Regular Army. From the end of WW2 the Regiment fought in Korea, Borneo and Malaya. These two 'small wars' developed even further the Australian expertise in jungle warfare, which was very valuable in Vietnam. During the war the Regiment expanded to nine battalions but needed the introduction of National Service (NS) to provide the manpower for this effort. National Service soldiers, or NASHOS, served along side the regular soldiers in all Corps and units during the war and no difference was seen between the types of enlistment in the Army. However NS was to become a huge issue in Australian society and led to the downfall of the Liberal Government who had introduced it; the incoming Labour Government abolished NS.
 
 

However in 1965 Australia was at the start of its commitment to Vietnam and 1RAR and its supports, about 1,300 men were located at Bien Hoa (pronounced ben ho) as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Although the units employed very different tactics they gained each other’s respect. During 1RARs time with the Americans the HQ of the Australian Army Force Vietnam was looking for an area that the Australians could 'call their own'. In 1966 after 1RARs yearlong tour they returned to Australia and were replaced by 5RAR and 6RAR, and the move to Australia's own tactical area of responsibility had begun.

With the experience gained from working with the US forces it was thought that Australian tactics in jungle warfare would work better if units were allowed to operate independently as possible. The Australian Forces had two main
bases in Vietnam the first was at the port of Vung Tau, called 1 Logistic Support Unit or 1LSG for short. Vung Tau was an interesting place and one of the few places in Vietnam during the war that Soldiers on leave could move
around without weapons. On leave was called 'Rest in Country (R&C). Within the 1LSG area the Australians had built a sort of holiday camp, were after arriving and handing in their weapons and ammo the Diggers would change and have a choice of a swim in the pool, play pool or head for town Note leave outside country was called Rest & Recreation or R&R.

As there was a great effort to prevent the VC from getting their hands on American green backs, all soldiers were paid in country when going on R&C with money called Military Payment Script (MPC). Of course there was a
penalty if discovered changing money with local money changes but many soldiers did just that.  The Viet name for the Australians was "UC DAI LOI" meaning 'men from the south'. Going into a bar you would be approached by a bar girl who would ask:-"hello Uc Dai Loi, you number one, you buy me Siagon tea?" Which was just cold tea sold for a high price, making money for the bar. If you said "no" you were "Number 10" or "Cheep Charlie". Terms that made it into the Diggers speech. Many Diggers used R&C to get drunk, have a girl and try and forget the weeks spent in the jungle living like a animal, hunting the Viet Cong, maybe firing that "odd angry shot".

Vung Tau also had a deep sea port an attractive feature to the Australian General Staff and Government of the time. It meant that the Australians could reinforce via the sea keeping costs down, and if all went to hell with the War Australians could be extracted by ship via Vung Tau.
 

Among the Units at Vung Tau one was very important to all Diggers who spent time in action against the Viet Cong. This was 1 Australian Field Hospital, (1AFH) call sign "Vampire". The hospital ran 24 hours a day and had a Chopper landing pad right next door, the pad was painted with a big Red Cross and had the Unit logo, a giant black vampire bat, on a sign nearby. The ability to pick up wounded soldiers in the field and have them in the operating room asap, increased the survival rate of many injured soldiers. From personal experience i can describe the arrival of many wounded. The system is called TRIAGE. If you have ever seen MASH, that what it looks like. The arriving  wounded are given a once over by a Doctor who grades them, who need  immediate emergency surgery and those who can wait.

The chopper had brought in a batch of Diggers caught in a massive blast from a hand made mine it was fully of nuts & bolts and had caused terrible injuries. Some of the critically wounded had been taken straight into surgery and others had to wait in the triage room. Such was the extent of the wounds, one Digger waiting had his knee almost torn in two and was told by a surgeon that he would probably loose his leg. Yet the Digger joked with staff about needing a beer, i doubt i would have been as brave in the same situation.

The Agreement & Establishment :

The decision to base the fighting Arms at Nui Dat was agreed to between General Wilton for Australia and General Westmoreland for the USA.

1:-    1ATF was to secure and dominate its assigned tactical area of responsibility (TOR).

2:-    1ATF was to conduct Operations related to security of Highway 15. (Which ran from Vung Tau to Saigon)

3:-    1ATF was to conduct other operations in lll Corps Tactical Zone and also conduct operations in the adjacent Province or Binh Thuan in the ll Corps Tactical Zone as agreed between General Westmoreland & COMAFV.

This agreement set the basis for the Australian experience in Vietnam. NUI DAT, meaning small hill was not a single place, it meant in fact the area were the Task Force was to make its home. It was a large disused rubber
plantation and required the establishment of 'Free Fire Zones' and clearance of civilians from a radius of 4000 meters from the base area.

To assist in clearing the Task Force area General Westmoreland ordered a Division size operation into Phuoc Tuy Province under the command of General William De Puy, commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division. Part of the force was 1RAR then getting close to its tour of duty and worked with the US force in OPERATION ABILENE from March 30 to April 15th, 1966. During the 16 day Operation the US casualties were 39 KIA and 97 WIA.

One of the tasks carried out by the US force was the removal of the local village of LONG TAN, carried out on 6 April 1966 assisted by South Vietnamese Forces. This move result in much anger towards the Australians as the villagers were moved without much notice and the village was then burnt. To prevent people coming back to the area it was subject to period shelling called Harassing &  Interdiction Fire (H&I). (The village has been rebuilt since the war.)

Operation Hardihood started in early May saw the 173rd Airborne carry out a Combat jump into the Province to secure the area. The recently arrived Australian Battalions 5RAR and 6RAR arrived in the area 25th May and 14th June respectively. 1RAR left Vietnam in July to return in January 1968 for an other tour. 5RAR cleared the area around what was to become known as SAS hill, due to the Special Air Service setting up home on the highest point at Nui Dat. The Task Force Headquarter group arrived late in May, when 6RAR moved into the local the Australians numbered about 6000. The New Zealand Army had contributed some Artillery thus working together once more with the Australians they had added the NZ to the famous initials of ANZAC, established during World War One.
 

The Australian way of establishing a base was very different from the methods employed by the US forces who bulldozed everything flat then built the base. Once individual units had been given their areas, they set about building weapon pits and sleeping areas under the trees, no tree was removed unless required. Although some attempt was made to get out wire in front of the positions the Battalions had  a lot of work to do establishing the Australian control of   Phuoc Tuy Province and some areas were poorly protected and some serious eyes made an note of this.