Thursday will mark the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.
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It was Australia’s first major conflict in the Vietnam War and the largest single unit battle fought in Vietnam by Australian troops.
While commemorations will be held around the country to mark the occasion, locally the Shoalhaven Sub Branch of the Vietnam Veteran’s Association will hold a service at Walsh Park, Bomaderry starting at 5pm.
Vietnam veteran and former president of the local branch Clyde Poulton has urged veterans and the community to mark this significant milestone.
“August 18 each year was originally known as Long Tan Day, chosen to commemorate the men of D Company, 6RAR who fought in the battle of Long Tan in 1966,” he said.
“It is now known as Vietnam Veterans Day.”
The conflict began on the afternoon of August 18 and went through the night until the morning of the 19th.
Mr Poulton was part of the National Service Scheme.
“Like a lot of other Nashos I celebrated my 22nd birthday in Vietnam,” he said.
“The way it worked, you were called up at 20 and your first year was basic and core training. You had your 21st in the army and your 22nd birthday if you were posted overseas, was Vietnam.
“There was thousands of us.”
Mr Poulton was part of 5 Company Workshops, which assisted and supplied RAEME corps (Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers), working with heavy lifting equipment such as Caterpillar bulldozers, forklifts and supplied materials to Vung Tau and Nui Dat.
Between 1965 and 1972, 63,740 young Australians did National Service, of those 15,381 served in Vietnam.
Guest speaker will be retired army Captain Ned Miller, who was with the 176th Air Dispatch Company and now lives at Sanctuary Point.
He was attached to Americans’ 147th Assault Helicopter Company with their Pathfinder Unit, working with the Chinnocks and Sky Cranes and did one tour of Vietnam in 1968-69.
“Our biggest helicopter was the Iroquois, the US had the Chinocks and the heavy lifting Sky Cranes,” he said.
“We moved Australian and US troops around and materials, providing helicopter support.
“I was a corporal at the time. I returned and stayed in the army.”
Mr Miller joined the army in 1963 and spent 23 years in service working for the Air Transport Register, finishing as Regimental Sergeant Major.
He was eventually commissioned to the rank of Captain.
“My father was in New Guinea in the air force during World War II and my elder brother was in the navy, so I figured the army would be a good place for me,” he said.
Thursday’s service will be followed by a get together at the Bomaderry RSL Club.
In the event of inclement weather the ceremony will be held the RSL Club auditorium.