Photos Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam

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17 Feb 1967 - Informal group portrait of eight members of 5 Platoon, B Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), in the B Company lines at the Australian task force base. The photograph was taken in the morning, some hours before the platoon took part in Operation Bribie. Left to right: back row: 3787612 Private (Pte) Ian Harvey Male, 1730900 Pte Brian Mervyn Bodley, 216177 Pte Robert Garry Maguire, 2781899 Pte Michael James Birchell, 5411564 Pte Jeffrey Darby ; front row: 2782231 Pte Ronald Noel Lockhart, 2781363 Pte Peter John Arnold, 3786665 Pte Christopher Mervyn Fankhauser. Absent from this photograph, but on the Operation, was 311458 Corporal Alexander Edward Smith, Section Commander. These men formed the rear of the reserve section during the assault. Pte Birchell and Pte Arnold were killed in action later that day when they took the machine gun to right flank to give covering fire whilst other members of the Platoon were attempting to extract the wounded from the right forward section. Pte Darby was wounded in action.

 

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17 Feb 1967 - A group of unidentified Australian infantry from 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) waiting in a United States Army UH-1D or UH-1H Iroquois helicopter, prior to lift off for Operation Bribie. Most of the Australians are armed with 7.62 mm L1A1 self-loading rifles (SLR) and one (right) is armed with a 5.56 mm M16A1 automatic rifle. A 7.62 mm M60 general purpose machine gun (GPMG) with spade grips is fitted to the helicopter along with a smoke grenade. Operation Bribie was a Battalion sized search and destroy mission, with Australian units deployed as a blocking force to trap Viet Cong (VC) fighters who had unsuccessfully ambushed Route 44 between Dat Do and Lang Phuoc Hai. At the end of the two day operation Australian casualties amounted to 35, including eight killed in action.

 

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Back of APC, call sign 21 Bravo (21B), damaged after the vehicle had been hit by two rounds of 75mm RCL rifle fire during Operation Bribie, loaded on a truck trailer. Crew Commander was Corporal Geoff Strachan, wounded in the incident, and Driver Vic Pomroy who was killed. One of a set of images relating to the service of 215419 Corporal David William Davies, 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron (May-December 1966) and A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment (January-April 1967). He served a later tour as a Temporary Sergeant with B Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment from December 1969 - June 1970.

 

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An APC, call sign 21 Bravo (21B), damaged after the vehicle had been hit by two rounds of 75mm RCL rifle fire during Operation Bribie, loaded on a truck trailer. Crew Commander was Corporal Geoff Strachan, wounded in the incident, and Driver Vic Pomroy who was killed. One of a set of images relating to the service of 215419 Corporal David William Davies, 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron (May-December 1966) and A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment (January-April 1967). He served a later tour as a Temporary Sergeant with B Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment from December 1969 - June 1970.

 

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18 Feb 1967 - Soldiers of B Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), unloading M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) of A Squadron, 3 Cavalry Regiment A Sqn 3 Cav Regt), after arriving back at the B Company lines after Operation Bribie. The morning after the action 6RAR conducted a sweep of the Bribie Battlefield but the enemy had vanished. After the battalion sweep, B Company, supported by APCs, patrolled across the "Light Green', about two kilometres to the east, and thought to be the enemy's likely withdrawal route. After an uneventful day the APCs carried B Company back to Nui Dat arriving late in the afternoon. Seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Sqn 3 Cav Regt were killed in action and 27 wounded during the operation.

 

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18 Feb 1967 - Soldiers of B Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), unloading M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) of A Squadron, 3 Cavalry Regiment A Sqn 3 Cav Regt), after arriving back at the B Company lines after Operation Bribie. The morning after the action 6RAR conducted a sweep of the Bribie Battlefield but the enemy had vanished. After the battalion sweep, B Company, supported by APCs, patrolled across the "Light Green', about two kilometres to the east, and thought to be the enemy's likely withdrawal route. After an uneventful day the APCs carried B Company back to Nui Dat arriving late in the afternoon. Seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Sqn 3 Cav Regt were killed in action and 27 wounded during the operation.

 

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Nui Dat, Vietnam. 17 February 1967. Members of C (Charlie) Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) sitting on Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) await the start of Operation Bribie. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the operation. During the battle, one of the APCs was destroyed by a direct hit from enemy recoilless rifle (RCL) fire killing the driver and wounding the commander. Unable to move it, the Australians set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could not salvage any working parts. After leaving it overnight, the Australians returned to find `Du Me Uc Dai Loi' (roughly translated to `Australians get stuffed') in Vietnamese, painted on the APC in blood. (Donor P. McNamee)

 

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Nui Dat, Vietnam. 17 February 1967. Members of C (Charlie) Company 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) sitting on Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) await the start of Operation Bribie. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the operation. During the battle, one of the APCs was destroyed by a direct hit from enemy recoilless rifle (RCL) fire killing the driver and wounding the commander. Unable to move it, the Australians set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could not salvage any working parts. After leaving it overnight, the Australians returned to find `Du Me Uc Dai Loi' (roughly translated to `Australians get stuffed') painted on the APC in blood. (Donor P. McNamee)

 

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South Vietnam. 1967-06. The mangled, burnt out front of an Australian M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) belonging to A Squadron, 3 Cavalry Regiment, which was destroyed during Operation Bribie on 17 February 1967. Much of the visible damage to the vehicle was caused by a fire deliberately started by order of the squadron commander when the APC could not be recovered in time under fire. The driver had been killed and the crew commander injured by a Viet Cong (VC) 75mm High Explosive (HE) recoilless rifle round hitting the front of the vehicle.

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. Two members of 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) lifting the body of an Australian soldier on to the lowered trim vane of an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) during Operation Bribie. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the operation. During the battle, one of the APCs was destroyed by a direct hit from enemy recoilless rifle (RCL) fire, killing the driver and wounding the commander. Unable to move it, the Australians set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could not salvage any working parts. After leaving it overnight, the Australians returned to find `Du Me Uc Dai Loi' (roughly translated to `Australians get stuffed') painted on the APC in blood. (Donor P. McNamee)

 

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17 Feb 1967 - 1730799 Private Adrian William Ellis, Support Section, B Company Headquarters, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), lying on his stomach in the jungle during defensive shellfire in support of B Company during Operation Bribie. Seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Squadron 3 Cavalry Regiment were killed in action and 27 wounded during the operation.

 

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17 Feb 1967 - 1200253 Lance Corporal (L Cpl) Paul Thomas Boynes, Support Section, B Company Headquarters, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) acting as a look out during the evacuation of 38728 Private (Pte) Adrian William Rich, B Company, 6RAR, to battalion headquarters, about 500 metres from the battlefield, during Operation Bribie. Pte Rich was very seriously wounded and died almost immediately. Seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Sqn 3 Cav Regt were killed in action and 27 wounded during the operation. Seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Sqn 3 Cav Regt were killed in action and 27 wounded during the operation.

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 17 February 1967. Members of the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) watch an air strike on the enemy position 200 metres from the edge of the tree line during Operation Bribie. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the operation. During the battle one of the APCs was destroyed by three direct hits from enemy 75mm recoilless rifle (RCL) fire, killing the driver and wounding the commander. All removable equipment was retrived from the vehicle under fire, however the RCL rounds had jammed the machine-guns and radio beyond retrieval. The vehicle was subsequently torched by placing grenades on the machine-guns, rupturing the fuel line and detonated with two White Phosphorous grenades. After leaving the burned-out wreckage overnight, the Australians returned to find `Du Me Uc Dai Loi' (roughly translated to `Australians get stuffed') painted on the APC in blood. (Donor P. McNamee)

 

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18 Feb 1967 - Major Ian McKay, Officer Commanding B Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), second from left, and soldiers from company headquarters packing their gear the morning after Operation Bribie watched by a member of A Squadron, 3 Cavalry Regiment (A Sqn 3 Cav Regt). After contact with the Viet Cong (VC) force, probably a company of D445 Battalion supported by North Vietnamese reinforcements, 6RAR were engaged in heavy fighting until early evening when the battalion and the supporting Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from A Sqn 3 Cav Regt, withdrew from the battlefield to make way for the aerial and artillery bombardment that followed that night on the enemy positions. The battalion mounted an assault onto the site of the previous days fighting, but the enemy had vanished. After the battalion sweep of the Bribie battlefield B Company, supported by APCs, patrolled across the "Light Green', about two kilometres to the east, and thought to be the enemy's likely withdrawal route. After an uneventful day the APCs carried B Company back to Nui Dat arriving late in the afternoon. Seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Sqn 3 Cav Regt were killed in action and 27 wounded during the operation.

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. Bodies of dead Viet Cong from D445 Mobile Battalion killed during their battle with 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) and A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment during Operation Bribie. Seven members ofthe 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the operation. During the battle one of the APCs was destroyed by three direct hits from enemy 75mm recoilless rifle (RCL) fire, killing the driver and wounding the commander. All removable equipment was retrived from the vehicle under fire, however the RCL rounds had jammed the machine-guns and radio beyond retrieval. The vehicle was subsequently torched by placing grenades on the machine-guns, rupturing the fuel line and detonated with two White Phosphorous grenades. After leaving the burned-out wreckage overnight, the Australians returned to find `Du Me Uc Dai Loi' (roughly translated to `Australians get stuffed') painted on the APC in blood. (Donor P. McNamee)

 

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17 Feb 1967 - 16646 Private (Pte) Richard Beverley Odendahl, left and 214031 Corporal (Cpl) Robin William Jones, right, both from 5 Platoon, B Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) treating 5713981 Pte Brian David Waters who was seriously wounded during the attack by 5 Platoon on Viet Cong (VC) positions during Operation Bribie. Pte Waters was one of a number of soldiers wounded or killed when two rounds from supporting artillery dropped short on 5 Platoon's headquarters. Pte Waters died of his wounds. He was one of seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Squadron, 3 Cavalry Regiment killed in action during this operation and a further 27 were wounded. Pte Odendahl and Cpl Jones were both awarded the Military Medal for their actions on this day.

 

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Members of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) crowded around captured weapons in a Popular Force (PF) Compound east of the Long Hai hills, the morning after they were attacked by 275 Regiment, just before Operation Bribie. The unidentified Long Diem District Chief and ARVN Captain (left) is holding a Russian LPO-50 Flamethrower, and behind him is a SKS 7.62 x 39 rifle. Leaning against a stand next to him are RPG-2 Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers and in front of those are RPD 7.62 x 39 Light Machine Guns.

 

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17 Feb 1967 - 2781906 Second Lieutenant (2ndLt) John Patrick O'Halloran, left, commanding 5 Platoon, B Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) and 215853 2ndLt John Sullivan, commanding 4 Platoon, listening during the B Company briefing in the jungle just prior to the attack during Operation Bribie. Seven soldiers from 6RAR and one trooper from A Sqn 3 Cav Regt were killed in action and 27 wounded during the operation.

 

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17 Feb 1967 - Iroquois crews of No 9 Squadron, gather around their Commanding Officer (CO), O33062 Wing Commander (Wing Cdr) Roy Stewart Royston, of Canberra, ACT (in centre, holding a pencil), for a briefing before the airborne assault in the initial stages of Operation Bribie. In one of the biggest Australian airborne assaults of the Vietnam War, the RAAF and United States (US) army helicopters flew men of the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), into attack against the hard core Viet Cong (VC) units about eight miles from the Task Force Base. Others shown are A33785 Sergeant (Sgt) James Henry (Jim) Roche (top left corner), O37553 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Geoffrey Alfred Banfield (partly obscured, sunglasses, behind Sgt Roche), A17445 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) John Alexander Henson (centre rear, next to Flt Lt Banfield), A21702 Sgt Gordon Dudley Buttriss, George Medal (GM) (arms folded, top right corner), A315814 LAC Paul Michael Covington (partly obscured, behind Sgt Buttriss), O310798 Flt Lt Philip Kenneth Cooke (face obscured, with hat, centre left), O43428 Flt Lt Bruce Ivan Lane (leaning, above Wng Cdr Royston), O214552 Flt Lt William John (Bill) Shepherd (face obscured, bottom left corner) and O216204 Flt Lt Francis Patrick (Frank) Riley (back of head, centre bottom).

 

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17 Feb 1967 - Iroquois crewmen from No 9 Squadron, gather around their Commanding Officer, O33062 Wing Commander (Wing Cdr) Roy Stewart Royston (crouching, centre), for a briefing prior to their first airborne assault in the initial stages of Operation Bribie, which was to become the biggest Australian airborne assault in the Vietnam war. In a circle clockwise from left front are: O216204 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Francis Patrick (Frank) Riley; O214552 Flt Lt William John (Bill) Shepherd (bending over); O310798 Flt Lt Phillip Kenneth (Phil) Cooke (wearing hat); O37553 Flt Lt Geoffrey Alfred Banfield (partially obscured, with sunglasses); A33785 Sergeant James Henry (Jim) Roche (hand on hip); O43428 Flt Lt Bruce Ivan Lane (bending, hand on knee); A223382 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Thomas Barry Farr (standing behind); A17445 LAC John Alexander Hewson (bending slightly); A315814 LAC Paul Michael Covington; A18781 Corporal Dennis Frederick Olsen; A56669 LAC Brian Boyd Hill (face only); O219176 Flt Lt Leslie Wilfred (Les) Morris (wearing pistol). No 9 Squadron, aided by the United States (US) Army helicopters, inserted men from A and B Company, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), into a landing zone east of Hoi My, to establish a blocking position and prevent the withdrawal east of the Viet Cong (VC) D445 Battalion that had unsuccessfully attempted a major ambush on Route 44, between Dat Do and Phuoc Hai the previous night, about eight miles from the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Headquarters. Five RAAF Iroquois helicopters took part in this operation including the UH-1B Iroquois A2-1019, which is now part of the Australian War Memorial's collection.