40yrs ago in a far off place Vietnam a major battle occurred in which Australian forces and VC took part and fought.
A rock concert was blarring away at Nui Dat ( located as the main base for the Aussies in Phuoc Tuy proevienc - part of the 1st Australian Task Force) while some unlucky poor bastards were patrolling to keep the base security zone in the jungle clear of Charlie.... but it was not to be a easy day. That afternoon a fercious battle was to begin which would alter the Vietnam War.
The battle was started late in afternoon of August 18th 1966, and invovled D company 6 RAR - Royal Australian Regiment.. a mere 108 brave and strong willed Aussies.
Unknown to them at time as they were moving thru Long Tan plantation which was around 8-10km away from Nui Dat .....was lurking upwards of 2500 VC....
Around 2pm, a scout section ran into some VC and from there it developed into a " bloody nusciane" as some veterans have called it...
The VC began to engage very close and at times cut some of the 4 platoon off in D company. After a few hours of heavy fighting, strong rain.. sometimes making visbility less then a few metres, the situation became extremely critical.
Artillery was bursting nearly on top of the FEBA and incases on top of the D company. The VC were charging forward determined to annilhilate the aussies. VC lucky didnt know they were up agaisnt 108... but the aussies didnt know at that time they were facing 2500 potential enemies..
As light faded and bullets for the L1A1 SLR and M60s ran out , a resup was called for. This was to be supplied in heavy rain by 9 sqn Huey UH-1B helicopters. They were to hover over the D Company spot, find them somehow and shove the resupplies out and pray it hit the ground ok.
So thru the rain came 2 x UH-1Bs and after finding the location after some work, the helo gunners dropped the load and the resupplies were sent around.
After this the VC began to recharge but were kept forced back by the Aussie artillery which was coming from M102 105mm and some US army M109s at Nut Dat.
The firing began to slow down as the battle crawled into the night...
As the battle developed in the late afternoon, a rescue force from Nui Dat was made up and sent across the jungle in APCs.. M113s.
These arrived late in the evening after crossing streams and a hard drive. They managed to break thru at a critical time and cut to peices many reforcements, the enemy had still, which were staging to over run the aussies location.
So if the Hueys and APCs had not arrived in nick of time, the aussies would of been wiped out .
Luck was with 6 RAR that day and the Huey warbird was the saviour for it brought the bullets to fend of the "nusciane".
If i recall right one Long Tans Hueys was preserved after retiring in mid 1980s...
After APCs broke thru the position was secured and the troops rmeoved by daylight.
18 aussies all under 21 yrs age were killed and many more wounded. Hundreds of VC were killed...
This battle made the VC really wake up and become aware of the Aussie Task Force in Phuoc Tuy province and they very rarly after this engaged the aussies so hard and skirted aorund aussies control of the provience.
Overall this was a big battle for Aussies, small on US scale., but without the Huey warbirds it would of been lost.
Every year lately in Canberra, Australia capital, a Long Tan cermoney is held and ussually off in distance comes the woka wok of the last remaining active service Army UH-1H Hueys.. as they do a fly by to recreate the RAAF part of the battle.
It brings tears to many of veterans. It is also the main national day for remebering the Vietnam war for the aussie Vietnam vets, Long Tan Day.
Some more information here
http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/longtan06/ ... ongtan.htm
http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/vietnam/longtan.html
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