From page 1.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
RADM Ralph said the unit citation presentation was a great event.
“I’m pretty damn proud,” he said “the unit citation just put the last touch that needed to be put on the whole thing. Flight Vietnam was a history making operation. And it is great to see everyone recognised.”
“The presentation all went off well and it was great the War Memorial made the aircraft hall available to us for the ceremony. While the aircraft were not relevant to ours, it was just the place to hold such an event.
“It was great to see many of my old colleagues there - they might have been in a bit different shape and their hair was a bit longer but it was great to see them there.
“Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove and Rear Admiral Barrett both spoke well in our favour which was nice.
“And everyone got a badge to represent the Unit Citation for Gallantry.
“The unit citation is so fitting – the Americans always had unit citations and I thought it was the way to go.
“A unit citation sees the whole group/team involved recognised. It’s all well to have the individual honours, but a unit citation sees everyone recognised. And that’s what it was - it was a huge team effort from everyone. The unit citation represents that beautifully.
“And it represents the type of work we were doing and how risky it was. This fitted the bill nicely. And being Vietnam Veterans’ Day, it could not have come at a better time.”
Five navy personnel died while serving with the RANHFV and 22 were wounded in action.
RADM Ralph urged those in power not to dismiss the significance of the operation, the joining of Australian and US troops, and said if the need arose again in the future such joint operations should be continued.
“The Americans were easy to work with,” he said “and in the future if something like this is needed, they shouldn't hesitate to do what happened there [in Vietnam] - they are a good organisation and have enough resources to do the job. This was a good model for the future.”