Viet Nam Heritage

The new Richard Norden Victoria Cross memorial at Gundagai was unveiled yesterday by the Australian Governer General Sam Mostyn, 58 years after Richard performed the actions that led to his belated, post-humous award. Norden, while wounded, ran forward under fire to half carry / half drag his section commander Joe Kelly to the relatively safety of the section position. He returned again to recover the forward scout Chris Nisbet but finding he had been killed he left and collected grenades for a third solo charge to retrieve his body.

The memorial also provides background information on Coral-Balmoral, and has s dedication to the wives, partners and families of Vietnam vets. Definitely worth a stop on the road between Sydney and Melbourne.

51 years today since the end of the almost 30 years of war for unification and independence in Việt Nam that drew millions of individuals across personal backgrounds and beliefs, nations and ideologie into conflict, creating countless stories of turmoil and loss. The wounds of war remain and families still grieve, but In stark contrast today Việt Nam is a prosperous, peaceful and safe country to live or travel. This display in our extended family's flower shop went to the local martyrs war cemetery for the anniversary.

Late afternoon on the Long Tân battlefield looking west towards Núi Đất from the location that 11 Platoon Delta Company, 6RAR were bogged down in a hail of fire almost 60 years ago

1RAR standing patrol location where a small group of young men led by Walter Brunalli MM found themselves isolated from the battalion on a standing patrol as all hell broke loose during the Battle of Suối B**g Trang, February 1966. This is the location upon which they witnessed the onslaught of an estimated 2000 Vietnamese against their immediate neighbouring US 1st Infantry Division engineer battalion headquarters, and found themselves in the cross fire from US heavy machine guns and all manner of flying metal. This is also where they encountered at close quarters multiple groups of Vietnamese on the periphery of the assault, unaware of the standing patrol ambush in their midst. 5 Vietnamese were recorded buried in this very location.The soil, which appears in tact despite the years that have past, holds many artefacts of the battle. It may still possibly contain the remains of those 5 men.

While hiking the Long Hải Hills / Mình Đạm base recently I came across this scene that for all purposes looks very similar to the photo taken of my father, David Johnston and his mates from 2 Platoon Alpha Company, 3RAR during Operation Pinnaroo March-April 1968.The location I was at matches a spot between the A Company harbour and a cave complex they found was being used to manufacture rubber 'Ho Chi Minh sandals', according to adjusted grid references from the battalion duty officers log. Long odds in an expansive jungle-clad mountain but something about it felt right anyway.The stump behind Dad with the ammo belts and SLR leaning on n it would be long gone, rotted or burned.Couple of new stems in the foreground are only few years old.

HMAS Toowoomba is currently berthed in Đà Nẵng on Việt Nam's central coast. It's the first Australian naval vessel to make an official port call in Việt Nam under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.Commander Alicia Harrison, commanding officer of the Australian naval ship, and its crew were welcomed by representatives from the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Naval Region 3 Command, the city’s Military Command, the city’s Border Guard Command, and the Đà Nẵng Port Border Guard Command.

Núi Đất circa 1967. Camp Everett looking west towards the Warbies / Núi Dinh. The camp near the southern gate was home to US 1st Battalion 83rd Artillery, the big guns including 8-inch (203mm) and ​175mm self-propelled artillery between 1966 and early 1968 that provided support to 1ATF operations across the province. The original roadways are now immaculate bitumen pavement rural residential and commercial properties.

Historic photo 1/83rd Artillery Association (1stbn83rdartyvietnam com)

Núi Đất, a small volcanic hill, was the focal point for the establishment of the 1st Australian Task Force in former Phước Tuy Province. Following the difficult clearance operation by 173rd Airborne Brigade, a company from 5RAR occupied the peak and later SASR units leading to the nickname SAS Hill. Like most volcanic features on the area (eg Horseshoe, Núi Đất 2) its natural resources are being quaried. The image below I took recently is the first time I've seen the actual summit being excavated. The old province is now part of greater Hồ Chí Minh City where regionally massive investment is going to increase transport links and construction of commercial and residential real estate.The historic image shows the peak of SAS, Hill behind Kanga Pad

On Operation Pinnaroo in early 1968 numerous caves were located housing ingenious Vietnamese installations at the southern end of the Long Hải Hills (Mình Đạm guerilla base). The image on the left taken by Army PR photographer Richard Crothers shows two 3RAR diggers entering one such cave housing an underground hospital. Most of these caves were cleared and destroyed by explosives such as the one shown on the right which is at the location recorded as being an ordnance factory.The records indicate it was a mutilevel cave housing weapons and ammunition. According to my father's recollections (David Johnston 2 Platoon) tonnes were used to blow it up. Only rubble at the entrance visible today.

At the end of 2RAR/NZ's twelve months in Việt Nam the 1ATF Commander Brigadier McDonald Iis pictured at Núi Đất coming to attention after unveiling a plaque commemorating 2RAR's service between May 1970 and May 1971.The same site today sits amongst dense a banana plantation (semi-ripe fruit is protected within the blue bags pictured).