Photos Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam

[gafkiwi]

My second thought was that sneaky seppo bastard had stolen an L1A1!
I wore that same helmet through to 97 when I got posted from 8/9 to 6RAR. ODF units up in Townsville had the new kevlar helmets at least as early as 93 in Somalia.

Helmets only ever seemed to be used at bases and FOB's for Stand To or for IDF, never really seen them worn much elsewhere by Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam.

 

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Bien Hoa Province, South Vietnam. 1968-02. Private John Howden, 22, of Reservoir, Vic (left), and Gunner Bill James, 20, of Gisborne, NZ, and a member of 161st Field Battery, load a shell into a 105mm howitzer during Operation Coburg.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C316805

 

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BIEN HOA PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1968-02. PRIVATE JOHN HINGST OF TOWNSVILLE, QLD, APPLIES GREASE PAINT TO HIS FACE TO HELP CAMOUFLAGE HIM FROM THE VIET CONG DURING A RECONNAISSANCE PATROL WHILE ON OPERATION COBURG IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE. PRIVATE HINGST WAS PATROLLING FOR THE 1ST AUSTRALIAN TASK FORCE'S (1ATF) TACTICAL HEADQUARTERS TWENTY MILES NORTH-EAST OF SAIGON. NOTE THE OPENED CANS AROUND HIM AND HIS RIFLE RESTING ON A WOODEN POST TOP LEFT.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C37137

 

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BIEN HOA PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1968-02. LANCE CORPORAL TONY GALEA OF MATRAVILLE, NSW, OPERATES A PETROL PUMP AT A FORWARD FIRE SUPPORT BASE DURING OPERATION COBURG. THE OPERATION WAS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MOUNTED BY TASK FORCE TROOPS. NOTE THE JEEP WITH A MOUNTED MACHINE GUN IN THE BACKGROUND.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C37139

 

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Australia's two Army men in Vietnam, the Force Commander, Major General A. L. MacDonald of Canberra, ACT (centre), and the Task Force Commander, Brigadier Ron Hughes of Stafford Heights, Qld (right), inspect an AA-1G Huey Cobra attack helicopter at a fire support base during Operation Coburg. With them is the Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), Lieutenant-Colonel Jim Shelton of Woodside, SA.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C316947

 

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BIEN HOA PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1968-02. PRIVATE IAN CARTER, 22, OF GLENELG, SA, POSITIONS A SHELL INTO THE BREECH OF A 105MM HOWITZER DURING OPERATION COBURG IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE. PRIVATE CARTER IS A MEMBER OF SUPPORT COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (3RAR), WITH THE 1ST AUSTRALIAN TASK FORCE (1ATF). HE WAS LEARNING THE GUNNERS' ROLE FROM MEMBERS OF THE NEW ZEALAND 161ST FIELD BATTERY.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C37147

 

[BravoZulu]

BIEN HOA PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1968-02. PRIVATE JOHN HINGST OF TOWNSVILLE, QLD, APPLIES GREASE PAINT TO HIS FACE TO HELP CAMOUFLAGE HIM FROM THE VIET CONG DURING A RECONNAISSANCE PATROL WHILE ON OPERATION COBURG IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE. PRIVATE HINGST WAS PATROLLING FOR THE 1ST AUSTRALIAN TASK FORCE'S (1ATF) TACTICAL HEADQUARTERS TWENTY MILES NORTH-EAST OF SAIGON. NOTE THE OPENED CANS AROUND HIM AND HIS RIFLE RESTING ON A WOODEN POST TOP LEFT.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C37137

View attachment 232516

I can guarantee his rifle is not leaning against the post behind him. His weapon will be the L1A1 and "Thumper" next to him and within reach (almost)

 

[digrar]

I can guarantee his rifle is not leaning against the post behind him. His weapon will be the L1A1 and "Thumper" next to him and within reach (almost)

It would have been Trooper John Hingst. Both of his tours were with SASR. The caption makes it sound like he was a lid digger with the 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit doing a patrol in support of the Task Force tac HQ. He was in his last few weeks of his first tour in this pic.

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. May 1970. 44175 Trooper Stephen (Steve) Rodgers of Largs North, SA of 1 Squadron, Special Air Services (SAS), uses special coloured creams to camouflage all exposed skin. Before an SAS patrol leaves the base on its mission, the men 'cam up' their faces to make it harder for the enemy to spot them on patrol in the jungle.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C326978

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. May 1970. Gazing tensely at the ground below as a 'chopper' (helicopter) inserts them in their patrol zone are Trooper (Tpr) John Pile of Newtown, NSW (left), and 1200111 Sergeant John (Jack) Gebhardt of Mount Yokine, WA of 1 Squadron, Special Air Services (SAS). Note the M16 rifle carried by Tpr Pile has an MX148 grenade launcher fitted under the barrel, and that all rifles have a modified flash suppressor on the end of the muzzle.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C326979

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. May 1970. Corporal Ian Bullock of Balga, WA, his face camouflaged, on patrol carrying a M16 automatic rifle with an MX148 grenade launcher fitted under the barrel. The Special Air Services (SAS) men creep through the jungle to spy on the enemy to provide raw intelligence for the Australian Task Force Commander to act upon.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C326981

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. April 1971. Gathered outside the headquarters of the 2nd Special Air Service Squadron (SAS), are members of the specially appointed Kerr Committee which was examining conditions of service throughout Australia's armed forces, and members of an SAS patrol which had just returned from an operation in Phuoc Tuy Province. The Committee was gathering evidence and toured the war zone to gain first hand impressions of service life as they affected the man in the field. Standing with his arms folded is the Comittee Chairman, Mr Justice J. R. Kerr (who later became Governor General of Australia). At rear is Brigadier A. M. McDonald, far right is Colonel W. F. Burnard, an army consultant.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C325277

 

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NUI DAT, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1971-04-16. TROOPER DON BARNBY, NO.25 PATROL, 'F' TROOP, 2 SQUADRON, SPECIAL AIR SERVICE (SAS), PRIOR TO COMMENCING HIS PATROL. TROOPER BARNBY IS WEARING TYPICAL CAMOUFLAGE UNIFORM WORN BY SAS PATROLS.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C246969

 

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NUI DAT, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1971. TROOPER DON BARNBY, 'F' TROOP, 2 SQUADRON, SPECIAL AIR SERVICE (SAS), OBTAINING A RADIO CLEARANCE FOR THE SAS GROUP TO MOVE THROUGH THE NUI DAT PERIMETER TO THE 6 ALPHA RANGE. LEFT TO RIGHT: TROOPER RHETT PEACOCK; SERGEANT ROSS ALBRECHT; TROOPER DON BARNBY; CORPORAL IAN RASMUSSEN; TROOPER FRED KOVALEFF.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C246923

 

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First visit of the Commanding General of MACV, General (Gen) Creighton Abrams, to the Australian Task Force Base. It was the first time General Abrams had visited the Australians. In a whirlwind, three hour visit, he saw the forward headquarters of the 1st Australian Task Force at Fire Support Base (FSB) Julia; 9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (9RAR), at Fire Support Base Diggers Rest; and 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) at FSB Margaret. At FSB Julia he was met by the Commander of the Australian Force Vietnam, Major General A L MacDonald, and the Commander of the 1st Australian task Force, Brigadier C M I ‘Sandy’ Pearson. He was briefed on the progress of Operation Goodwood, an Australian directed operation in its sixth week. During which more than 150 Viet Cong and NVA had been killed and numerous, extensive, enemy bunker complexes had been found and destroyed. During his visit Gen. Abrams talked, informally, with Officers and Soldiers alike. Gen Abrams took over command of MACV from Gen William C ‘Westie’ Westmoreland as the Commander of the United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, in July 1968.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1180468

 

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After the Battle of Long Tan - weary men of Delta Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), gather on a landing zone to eat a quick meal of rations before returning to the battlefield. The Company fought in an epic lone stand against a crack North Vietnamese battalion. More than 200 Viet Cong dead were later counted. Identified left to right: obscured unknown; Corporal (Cpl) Ross McDonald; 15630 Cpl Kevin Thomas (Chicko or Chico or Chiko) Miller, an Aboriginal servicman; 2412263 Private Victor William (Vic) Simon, an Aboriginal serviceman; next three unidentified

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C36751

 

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NUI DAT, SAS HILL, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1971-04-08. MEMBERS OF NO.25 PATROL, 'F' TROOP, 2 SQUADRON, SPECIAL AIR SERVICE (SAS), AT NADZAB LZ (LANDING ZONE) AFTER RETURNING FROM THEIR SECOND PATROL. THE PATROL OF NINE DAYS WAS FROM 1971-03-30 TO 1971-04-08. LEFT TO RIGHT, BACK ROW: CORPORAL IAN RASMUSSEN, SECOND-IN-COMMAND; TROOPER (TPR) DON BARNBY, SIGNALLER; TPR DENNIS BIRD, SCOUT; SECOND LIEUTENANT BRIAN RUSSELL, PATROL COMMANDER. FRONT ROW: TPR BILL NISBETT, RIFLEMAN; JOHN DEAKIN, UNITED STATES NAVY (USN-SEAL).

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C246970

 

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Vietnam 1966-08-19. Private Ken Meredith (facing camera) waits with a group of signallers for the order to move back to base after a bitter engagement with the Viet Cong (VC) at Long Tan, in Phuoc Tuy Province. Australians killed 250 VC in this action.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C36482

 

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VUNG TAU, SOUTH VIETNAM. 1969-05-19. FRESH FROM AUSTRALIA, SOLDIERS OF 6TH BATTALION, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (6RAR), WAIT FOR THEIR LANDING CRAFT TO PULL AWAY FROM THE TROOPSHIP HMAS SYDNEY. THE BATTALION IS RELIEVING 4RAR AND FOR MANY OF 6RAR'S SOLDIERS IT IS THEIR SECOND TOUR OF THE COUNTRY. DURING 6RAR'S LAST TOUR IN 1966-67, D COMPANY DISTINGUISHED ITSELF BY WINNING A U.S. PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR ITS PART IN THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN IN WHICH 245 ENEMY SOLDIERS WERE KILLED.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C3

 

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VIETNAM. 1966-08-19. ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER COMMAND, LANCE CORPORAL REX WARREN OF NORWOOD, ADELAIDE, SA, KEEPS AN EYE OPEN FOR VIET CONG AS HIS HEAVY VEHICLE MOVES THROUGH A RUBBER PLANTATION. REX AND HIS CREW WERE AMONG TROOPS WHO SWEPT THROUGH THE AREA IN SEARCH OF THE ENEMY AFTER A BITTER BATTLE AT LONG TAN, IN WHICH 250 VIET CONG WERE KILLED.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C36835