Photos Aussies and Kiwi's in Vietnam

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17 Feb 1967 - Iroquois helicopters and crewmen from No 9 Squadron, line up on Luscombe Field, at the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Headquarters, near Vung Tau, South Vietnam, before launching their first airborne assault in the initial stages of Operation Bribie. No 9 Squadron 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 on the night of the previous night. Five RAAF Iroquois helicopters took part in this operation, including UH-1B Iroquois A2-1019, which is now part of the Australian War Memorial’s collection, is the last helicopter in line, closest to camera.

 

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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. United States Army Iroquois helicopters (also known as Hueys) fly into a landing zone secured by Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment to uplift troops from 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) on completion of Operation Bribie. Note the soldiers on foot in the dry paddy field well as the APCs. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the battle. 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 Australian set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could nat 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. United States Army Iroquois helicopters (also known as Hueys) fly into a landing zone secured by Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment to uplift troops from 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) on completion of Operation Bribie. Note the soldiers on foot in the dry paddy field. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the battle. 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 Australian set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could nat 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. United States Army Iroquois helicopters (also known as Hueys) fly into a landing zone secured by Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment to uplift troops from 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) on completion of Operation Bribie. Note the soldiers on foot in the dry paddy field. During the battle, one of the APCs was destroyed by a direct hit form enemy recoilless rifle (RCL) fire killing the driver and wounding the commander. Unable to move it, the Australian set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could nat 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. United States Army Iroquois helicopters (also known as Hueys) fly into a landing zone secured by Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment to uplift troops from 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) on completion of Operation Bribie. Note the soldiers on foot in the dry paddy field. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the battle. 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 Australian set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could nat 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. United States Army Iroquois helicopters (also known as Hueys) fly into a landing zone secured by Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment to uplift troops from 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) on completion of Operation Bribie. Note the soldiers on foot in the dry paddy field. Seven members of 6RAR were killed and twenty six were wounded during the battle. 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 Australian set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could nat 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 18 February 1967. United States Iroquois helicopters (also known as `Hueys') land in the dry paddy field to extract the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) on the completion of Operation Bribie. Seven members of 6RAR killed and twenty six were wounded. During the battle, one of the Armoured Personnel Carriers (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 Australian set fire to it so that the Viet Cong could nat 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 - An Iroquois helicopter from No 9 Squadron, lands in a paddy field, 15 km south east of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Headquarters, to pick up men of the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), during Operation Bribie against Viet Cong (VC) guerrillas. The helicopters give the troops mobility and speed and enables them to attack the enemy when he least expects it.

 

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17 Feb 1967 - An Iroquois helicopter from No 9 Squadron, lands in a paddy field, 15 km south east of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Headquarters, to pick up men of the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), during Operation Bribie against Viet Cong (VC) guerrillas. The helicopters give the troops mobility and speed and enables them to attack the enemy when he least expects it.

 

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17 Feb 1967 - An Iroquois helicopter from No 9 Squadron, lands in a paddy field, 15 km south east of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) Headquarters, to pick up men of the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), during Operation Bribie against Viet Cong (VC) guerrillas. The helicopters give the troops mobility and speed and enables them to attack the enemy when he least expects it.

 

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Feb 1967 - Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 17 February 1967. Members of the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) moving through a dry paddy field 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 17 February 1967. Members of 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) sitting in a dry paddy field 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 17 February 1967. Smoke rising from the air strike 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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Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. 17 February 1967. Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) of A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment deployed in a dry paddy field 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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August 1966. 6776 Major (Maj) Harry Arthur Smith (centre) is thanking O39642 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Clifford Mitchell (Cliff) Dohle of Hughes, ACT, by shaking his hand, for his part in rescuing his D Company 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), by dropping ammunition to them when they were surrounded by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers, and nearly out of ammunition, in what later became known as the Battle of Long Tan. They are being watched by O33113 Group Captain (Gp Capt) Peter Frank Raw, of Ipswich, Qld.

 

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1966. 39642 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Clifford Mitchell (Cliff) Dohle of Hughes, ACT, climbs aboard his helicopter prior to take off on a mission. Flt Lt Dohle is one of the pilots who took part in the No 9 Squadron, RAAF, helicopter airlift of captured rice to a Vietnamese village for distribution.

 

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1966. 39642 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Clifford Mitchell (Cliff) Dohle of Hughes, ACT, studying a map prior to boarding his helicopter to take off on a mission. Flt Lt Dohle is one of the pilots who took part in the No 9 Squadron, RAAF, helicopter airlift of captured rice to a Vietnamese village for distribution.

 

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June 1966. O214552 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) William J (Bill) Shepherd of Hurstville, NSW (left) and O39642 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Clifford Mitchell (Cliff) Dohle of Hughes, ACT (with large Vietnamese straw hat) talk to two Vietnamese women when they delivered the captured rice to a Vietnamese village for redistribution to villagers.

 

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June 1966. O214552 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) William J (Bill) Shepherd of Hurstville, NSW (left) and O39642 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Clifford Mitchell (Cliff) Dohle of Hughes, ACT, (trying on a large Vietnamese straw hat), talk to two Vietnamese women when they delivered the captured rice to a Vietnamese village for redistribution to villagers.

 

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1966. Two pilots prepare to leave on a sortie, in support of the 5th and 6th Battalions, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR & 6RAR), from Vung Tau airfield, South Vietnam. At the back of the cockpit is 39642 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Clifford Mitchell (Cliff) Dohle of Hughes, ACT and in the foreground is 33192 Flt Lt Peter Montague Middleton, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (US) of Black Rock, Vic. Flt Lt Middleton has previously served in the Second World War flying in the South Pacific campaign, flying Meteors during the Korean War and now flying Iroquois helicopters in Vietnam.