The Shoalhaven Vietnam Veterans’ Day commemorative service will be held in Walsh Park on Friday afternoon.
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It is the 51st anniversary of the deployment of Australian troops to Vietnam which saw army, navy and air force regular and national service troops sent to the war zone.
It is also the 50th anniversary of the deployment of a unique naval unit called EMUS, staffed partly from members of HMAS Albatross which was deployed to Vietnam, seconded to an American unit.
A number of local members of the EMUS who live in Nowra will be attending the service.
The Shoalhaven Branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association welcomes all members of the public to attend the service at Walsh Park on Friday (August 18) starting at 5pm.
This is a departure from previous years when the service started at 6pm. Following the service there will be a small eats at the Bomaderry RSL Hall.
Special guest and speaker will be the Commanding Officer HMAS Albatross Captain Fiona Sneath.
Captain Sneath is the first female commander in the history of the Nowra naval base.
Representatives from Fleet Air Arm HMAS Albatross, Paul Hannigan and the Australian Army Parachute Training School Lieutenant Colonel Richard Bushby will also attend the service.
The catafalque party will consist of members of Navy Cadets of training ship Shoalhaven.
Nowra Salivation Army Lieutenant Matthew Suttcliffe will be part of the service as will bugler, Peter Williams who will be playing on a bugle from the World War I.