Battle of Long Tan
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Long Tân was fought between the Australian Army
and Viet Cong forces in a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tân
, about 27 kilometres (16.8 mi) north east of Vũng Tàu
, South Vietnam
. The action occurred when D Company
of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(6 RAR), part of the 1st Australian Task Force
(1 ATF), encountered the Viet Cong 275th Regiment
and elements of the D445 Local Forces Battalion
. D Company was supported by other Australian units, as well as New Zealand and United States artillery.
During the battle D Company 6 RAR, despite being heavily outnumbered, fought off a large Viet Cong assault of regimental strength. Eighteen Australians were killed and 24 wounded, while at least 245 Viet Cong were killed. It was a decisive Australian victory and is often cited as an example of the importance of combining and coordinating infantry, artillery, armour and military aviation. The battle had considerable tactical implications as well, being significant in allowing the Australians to gain dominance over Phước Tuy province, and although there were a number of other large-scale encounters in later years, 1 ATF was not fundamentally challenged again.
In the years since it was fought the battle has achieved similar symbolic significance for the Australian military in the Vietnam War
as battles such as the Gallipoli Campaign have for the First World War, the Kokoda Track Campaign
for the Second World War and the Battle of Kapyong
for the Korean War
.
(now Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province
). 6 RAR was composed mainly of national servicemen
. The Australians faced formidable Viet Cong forces, which were operating in familar terrain:
For several weeks prior to the battle, Australian intelligence had tracked a VC 275 Regiment radio transmitter moving south to just north of Long Tan. Aggressive patrolling failed to find this unit.
On the night of 16/17 August, the Viet Cong 275th Regiment fired over 100 mortar rounds into the 103 Battery area and 24 Australian soldiers were wounded, with one later dying from his wounds. B Company 6 RAR was sent out early on the morning of the 17th to find the VC heavy weapons. D Company (to which were attached three New Zealand Army
personnel) relieved B Company at midday on the 18th. The commander of B Company, Major Noel Ford, briefed the D Company commander, Major Harry Smith, and B Company returned to base. After discussing the situation with the 6 RAR battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Colin Townsend, D Company moved to the east towards the limit of their covering artillery's range.
As 11 Platoon continued to advance they were attacked by heavy machine-gun fire and immediately sustained six casualties. Following normal contact procedures, the platoon went into a defensive position. The Viet Cong formed an assault and attacked 11 Platoon around 20 minutes after initial contact with support from their heavy machine-guns. Stanley called in all available support from the artillery units in support of 1 ATF, and 10 Platoon moved up to the left of 11 Platoon to try to relieve pressure on them and allow them to withdraw to the company defensive position. The commander of 11 Platoon, national serviceman Second Lieutenant
Gordon Sharp, was killed and Sergeant Bob Buick assumed command of the platoon. During this engagement both platoons' radios went out but one was sent forward to 10 Platoon and the 11 Platoon aerial was repaired.
Heavy monsoon
rain began falling on the battlefield reducing visibility considerably, probably saving many lives on both sides. 10 Platoon, under Second Lieutenant Geoff Kendall, also came under fire and went into a defensive position. 12 Platoon, commanded by Second Lieutenant Dave Sabben, had been the reserve platoon, and it was ordered to the right to support 11 Platoon. 12 Platoon left one section behind to support Company Headquarters. The company called for close air support
but when it arrived it was unable to identify targets due to the weather and rubber plantation. The US aircraft dropped their bombs to the east disrupting the Viet Cong rear areas. Smith requested helicopter reinforcements from 6 RAR. B Company headquarters with its one platoon had not yet got back to Nui Dat and was ordered back to Long Tan but was then stopped.
The Australian soldiers were carrying a light load, approximately five magazines, and after nearly three hours of combat ran low on ammunition. At 17:00 Smith called for an ammunition resupply. By coincidence, two UH-1 Iroquois
from No. 9 Squadron, Royal Australian Regiment
were available at the Nui Dat base, having just been used as transport for a Col Joye
and Little Pattie
concert. One of the Iroquois pilots, Flight Lieutenant
Bob Grandin, disobeyed orders by dropping supplies to D Company. He recalled: "...[i]t did sound extremely bad on the radio."
Because the ammunition resupply was to be dropped from a helicopter some distance above the tree height the wooden (outer) crates with metal straps were wrapped in blankets for the wounded. However, no-one thought to provide any tools to cut the straps and the tired soldiers had to smash open the crates with machettes and the butts of their SLRs during the battle to get to the inner metal ammunition boxes. Sergeant Neil Rankin (12 Platoon) later recounted frustration at not being able to quickly get to the ammunition at a time when the company was in an extremely dire situation with very low levels reported by many of the soldiers. Eventually the ammunition was freed but the soldiers then had to load the magazines themselves.
Magazines were considered part of soldiers' weapons and issuing was strictly controlled. (One of the lessons of Long Tan for the Australian Army was that combat personnel on operations started to carry more supplies, including more ammunition and food, to enable prolonged operations. Ammunition was later resupplied in magazines, and the issuing of magazines was relaxed.) The survivors of 11 Platoon withdrew to 12 Platoon and back to the Company area under the cover provided by the artillery and torrential rain.
At Nui Dat, A Company had been ordered to ready itself and the M-113 armoured personnel carrier
s of the 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron
to transport them. However, there was a delay of more than an hour from the time 1 APC Squadron was ordered to 6 RAR lines at Nui Dat to pick up A Company. Smith pressed Townsend to send reinforcements and even though Townsend had given the warning order to A Company to be prepared to go to the assistance of D Company, Jackson would not release the APCs to take them. Jackson considered that the attack on D Company was a possible feint and he did not want to reduce the defences at Nui Dat.
The Viet Cong continually formed assault waves and moved forward, but were broken up by artillery fire. Those who got through the gunfire were mown down by D Company men. Fortunately for the attackers, the soft boggy ground reduced the effect of the shell bursts, but there were a large number of wounded. The rain was so intense it kicked up a mist that gave the Australian soldiers some cover from the onslaught. Dave Sabben remembers the mist rising from the ground to about chest level. "All that's poking out of that is the diggers' hats and their eyes, not even their rifles," he said in a television interview with 60 Minutes. The soldiers of D Company held their line and repulsed any VC that got through the artillery barrage. D Company were supported by twenty-four 105 mm and 155 mm guns from the Australian 1st Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
, 161st Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery
and the 2nd Battalion, US 35th Artillery Regiment
. Over 3,000 rounds of artillery were fired throughout the remainder of the battle at likely Viet Cong forming-up positions and withdrawal routes. "A" Battery, 1st Field Regiment fired rounds every 15 seconds for three hours. The US gunners were in the same base as "A" Battery and assisted the exhausted Australian gunners by carrying artillery rounds to their guns.
The reverse slope
that D Company used to defend their position meant that the Viet Cong found it difficult to use their heavy calibre weapons effectively and they could only engage the Australians at close range as a result. The Viet Cong repeatedly tried to find the Australian flanks but the wide dispersal and excellent defensive position combined with the artillery support led to many Viet Cong casualties. Furthermore, as the Australian defence was not entirely static with some limited patrolling and contacts arising it caused the VC great difficulty in determining the exact perimeter and led the VC commanders to conclude they were facing a much larger force.
Meanwhile, seven APCs from 3 Troop and three from 2 Troop 1 APC Squadron led by Lieutenant Adrian Roberts had cleared the base barbed wire perimeter when Roberts received an order to send two carriers back for Townsend and to wait till Townsend came up. Hearing gunfire from Long Tan, Roberts ignored the second part of the order and attempted to cross the swollen river. Captain Charles Mollison, the A Company commander, agreed not to halt and wait for Townsend to catch up. Leaving one carrier to secure the crossing Roberts led seven APCs (with 80 men) into the plantation and encountered 100 plus enemy on a 240 metres (262.5 yd) wide front. "I will never forget the impact of our .50 calibre fire," said Roberts "a man struck by such fire is thrown away, his body arched like a bow." Corporal Carter used his Owen gun to kill two Viet Cong who were firing a 57 mm recoilless rifle
at his APC. Corporal Peter Clements, an APC commander, was fatally wounded by machinegun fire and the APC's driver took out the machinegun by running over its operator. Under orders from Roberts, Sergeant Noel Lowes ran between carriers to take command of Clement's machine.
Smith later wrote of the final stages of the battle:
In the teeming rain a 3 Troop APC under Roberts and 11 men of 2 Platoon A Company under Lieutenant Peter Dinham had earlier attacked the forward elements of D445 Battalion, taking them by surprise. Roberts recalled the intense artillery barrage that brought down trees in black bursts of oily smoke towards the D Company position. B Company fired on enemy which were withdrawing to the east. An Australian soldier from B Company, Private Johnson, was slightly wounded as they approached D Company from friendly fire off the top of one APC, believing them to be enemy in the gloom. Roberts also recalls that the enemy had begun to withdraw before Townsend arrived.
The fresh reinforcements formed a screen in front of D Company allowing them to treat the wounded and rest, and prepare to resist a counterattack that did not come. During the night the artillery fired on likely forming-up points of the VC and the force withdrew, with most of the 24 wounded evacuated by helicopter. This was a strong force and should have been able to repulse any night attack. As it happened, there was no further contact that night or for the next three days. Lieutenant Colonel Bob Breen wrote later:
on 28 May 1968, for the unit's actions at Long Tan. The text of the citation reads as follows:
Soldiers posted to D Company 6 RAR still wear the PUC on their uniforms. 6 RAR erected a concrete cross to commemorate those who died. This was removed by the government of Vietnam following the communist victory in 1975, but has now been replaced by a larger monument of similar design. The original is on display at Dong Nai province museum in Bien Hoa
. In more recent times former officers from D Company have visited Vietnam and met former adversaries.
The date the battle began, 18 August, is commemorated in Australia as Long Tan Day, also known as Vietnam Veterans' Remembrance Day. At the 40th year commemoration, in 2006, veterans were accompanied by Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddle at the Long Tan Cross; following the commemoration a concert was held at Vung Tau where former Redgum
band member John Schumann
sang "I Was Only Nineteen
" which describes the experiences of Vietnam veteran Mick Storen (Schumann's brother-in-law).
An Australian television account of the battle which can be watched for free online, entitled The Battle of Long Tan narrated by Sam Worthington (Avatar, Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans) was produced for FOXTEL and broadcast on The History Channel on 16 August 2006.
A feature film, a fictionalised account written and directed by Australian filmmaker Bruce Beresford
, and entitled Long Tan, is scheduled for release in 2011. The film is being produced by Martin Walsh and is expected to have a budget of up to $42 million.
(DSO), but received the lower award of a Military Cross
(MC). Brigadier Oliver David Jackson was awarded a DSO the citation for which read in part: "in one action on 18 August 1966, he personally directed the engagement which accounted for 254 enemy dead by body count with very light comparative losses to his own troops. His able personal direction was a decisive factor." Some evidence, however, suggests Jackson spent most of the battle in his tent. Townsend also received a DSO the citation for which read in part "As soon as the initial heavy contact with the enemy was made by his company (Delta) on patrol he moved immediately with a relief company in armoured personnel carriers to join his company and took firm and decisive control of the battle." Some evidence, however establishes that Townsend arrived after the battle was over and by ordering the armoured personnel carrier-borne relief force to wait for him to catch up caused its commander, Roberts, to divide his troop. Major General Peter Abigail, Major General Steve Gower and Brigadier Gerry Warner wrote in the Long Tan Recognition Review (2008) that "both awards [Jackson's and Townsend's DSOs] relate to their entire periods of command." Ellery claims, however, that in 1966 the guidelines for the DSO specified that it had to be awarded for gallant leadership in the field, and not for good service generally.
Two of the three platoon commanders were recommended for a MC, but neither was awarded. The Military Medal
(MM) was recommended for the third (acting) platoon commander, Buick, who subsequently received the award. A Mentioned in Dispatches was denied to Sharp who was shot through the neck as he rose to his knees to direct artillery fire at the early stages of the battle. Two Distinguished Conduct Medal
s, and another MM were also awarded to other soldiers. The lack of recognition paid to Australian veterans by the Australian government became the subject of intense criticism. In November 2006, the then Prime Minister of Australia
, John Howard
, visited Long Tan, the first Prime Minister to do so. He acknowledged the poor treatment that Australian Vietnam veterans had received. In March 2008 the Long Tan Recognition Review recommended upgrading the awards to three officers of D Company 6 RAR. The Government accepted the recommendations for upgraded awards to Smith (upgraded to the Star of Gallantry
under the new honours system
), while Kendall and Sabben's awards were upgraded to the Medal for Gallantry
. Despite the Long Tan Recognition Review recommending to the contrary, on 18 August 2008 the Rudd Australian government granted approval for members of D Company 6 RAR to wear the Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation of the former Republic of Vietnam. In relation to the South Vietnam
ese medals, in line with British military policy, the Australian government was not prepared to formally accept awards from foreign powers without the prior approval of the Queen. The Australian Ambassador gave this advice to the South Vietnamese government, which decided at the last moment not to award the medals. Soon afterwards the Australian Army introduced a more relaxed policy of informally allowing the acceptance of presented awards.
On 2 September 2009 the Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal (Prof. Dennis Pearce, Lieutenant Colonel John Jones and Warrant Officer Kevin Woods) (charged by the Long Tan Recognition Review with investigating outstanding claims) reported to the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support (Mike Kelly) that protocols related to the system of honours and awards required that consideration of an award be initiated by an authorised officer. In this case Harry Smith on 21 August 1966 moderated recommendations from platoon commanders and company sergeant major and submitted a list (now lost) to Lieutenant Colonel Townsend. This list included recommendations for awards to Sharp and seven D Company 6 RAR soldiers. Townsend rejected a number of these recommendations as "too many". The Tribunal found that no "clear anomaly or manifest injustice" had been established. It made a recommendation for one further individual award—the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)—be made to Flight Lieutenant Cliff Dohle. They also recommended a Unit Citation for Gallantry
to D Company, 6 RAR. On 18 August 2011, the 45th anniversary of the battle, members of D Company 6 RAR were finally awarded the citation, which was presented by the Governor General of Australia
Quentin Bryce
.
Many North Vietnamese participants are also adamant that D Company walked into an ambush, although enemy reports were not consistent with the facts. They state that the VC had planned to draw the Australian force into a wooded area to the north of the rubber plantation, where heavy weapons had been set up on a rise known to the Australians as "Nui Dat 2 GR4868". Another 100 members of D445 Battalion were in the south near the village of Long Tan. One platoon with several rocket launchers had been placed on the south western edge of the plantation, hoping to slow down any APC-mounted reinforcements, and cut off an Australian retreat. In 2006, Sau Thu, a former major in D445 Battalion, was quoted as saying that he had been ordered to lure the Australians out of Nui Dat, kill as many of them as possible, capture their weapons and then take the base. "We didn't know how many you had in Nui Dat. We tried to draw them out... We thought they would go one way but the Australian soldiers went the wrong way and came behind us."
In July 2006, Sabben and Buick visited the site of the battle for a 60 Minutes story, titled "The Forgotten Heroes" (link to video). They met Nguyen Minh Ninh, former vice-commander of D445 Battalion. Minh said: "You won. But we won also. Tactically and militarily you won—but politically, we won. In this battle you acted out of our control—you [escaped] from our trap." According to journalist Cameron Stewart, it was the first time that a senior North Vietnamese officer had admitted that his soldiers had been defeated at Long Tan.
According to Terry Burstall, the North Vietnamese commander at Long Tan, Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hong, was amazed that the Australians could look on the battle as a victory:
However, Townsend was unable to pursue the 275th Regiment because of the vulnerability of the Nui Dat base to an attack from the 274th Regiment. Moreover, Operation Toledo was launched seven days later.
Bob Buick faced criticism in 2000, after he published his memoirs. In the book, Buick admitted killing a mortally wounded North Vietnamese soldier on the Long Tan battlefield, the day after the firefight. Burstall pointed out that any such an act constituted a prima facie breach of the Geneva Convention. Buick's decision to publish his memoirs was also criticised by the president of the Australian Long Tan Association, John Heslewood, who was a private in 11 Platoon during the battle.
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and Viet Cong forces in a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tân
Long Tan
For the footballer, see Long Tan. Long Tân , is a village in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, Vietnam, at . When it was part of South Vietnam, it was in Phước Tuy province....
, about 27 kilometres (16.8 mi) north east of Vũng Tàu
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. The action occurred when D Company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in Brisbane, Queensland, on 6 June 1965 and has since then served in a number of overseas deployments and conflicts including South Vietnam, East Timor and Iraq...
(6 RAR), part of the 1st Australian Task Force
1st Australian Task Force
The 1st Australian Task Force commanded the Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province...
(1 ATF), encountered the Viet Cong 275th Regiment
VC 275th Regiment
The VC 275th Regiment, also known as the 275 Viet Cong Main Force Regiment, was a regiment of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The regiment was part of the VC Division 5 and operated in the Phước Tuy province....
and elements of the D445 Local Forces Battalion
VC D445 Battalion
The VC D445 Battalion, also known as the Viet Cong D445 Provincial Mobile Battalion of the Ba Ria Battalion, was a Local Force battalion of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The battalion operated in the Đồng Nai river basin and also the Bien Hoa, Phước Tuy and Long Khánh provinces...
. D Company was supported by other Australian units, as well as New Zealand and United States artillery.
During the battle D Company 6 RAR, despite being heavily outnumbered, fought off a large Viet Cong assault of regimental strength. Eighteen Australians were killed and 24 wounded, while at least 245 Viet Cong were killed. It was a decisive Australian victory and is often cited as an example of the importance of combining and coordinating infantry, artillery, armour and military aviation. The battle had considerable tactical implications as well, being significant in allowing the Australians to gain dominance over Phước Tuy province, and although there were a number of other large-scale encounters in later years, 1 ATF was not fundamentally challenged again.
In the years since it was fought the battle has achieved similar symbolic significance for the Australian military in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as battles such as the Gallipoli Campaign have for the First World War, the Kokoda Track Campaign
Kokoda Track campaign
The Kokoda Track campaign or Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 between Japanese and Allied—primarily Australian—forces in what was then the Australian territory of Papua...
for the Second World War and the Battle of Kapyong
Battle of Kapyong
The Battle of Kapyong , also known as the Battle of Jiaping , was fought during the Korean War between United Nations forces—primarily Australian and Canadian—and the Chinese communist People's Volunteer Army...
for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Background
1 ATF arrived in Vietnam in May 1966 and was based at Núi Đất, in Phước Tuy ProvincePhuoc Tuy Province
Phước Tuy Province was a province of South Vietnam. It now mostly corresponds to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, just southeast of Ho Chi Minh City....
(now Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province
Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province
Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu is a province of Vietnam. It is located on the coast of the country's southeastern region. It also includes the Côn Đảo islands, located some distance off Vietnam's southeastern coast...
). 6 RAR was composed mainly of national servicemen
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
. The Australians faced formidable Viet Cong forces, which were operating in familar terrain:
Within Phuoc Tuy and the neighbouring provinces of Bien Hoa, Long Khanh and Binh Tuy, the principle main force formation ... was the 5th VC Division, which usually had its headquarters in the Mây Tào Mountains. It consisted of 274 RegimentVC 274th RegimentThe VC 274th Regiment, also known as the 274 Viet Cong Main Force Regiment, was a regiment of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The regiment was part of the VC Division 5 and operated in the Bien Hoa, Đồng Nai, Phước Tuy and Long Khánh provinces.The Regiment consisted of a headquarters and...
and 275 Regiment plus supporting units. North Vietnamese regulars were used to boost and reinforce this South Vietnamese [Viet Cong] formation...
For several weeks prior to the battle, Australian intelligence had tracked a VC 275 Regiment radio transmitter moving south to just north of Long Tan. Aggressive patrolling failed to find this unit.
On the night of 16/17 August, the Viet Cong 275th Regiment fired over 100 mortar rounds into the 103 Battery area and 24 Australian soldiers were wounded, with one later dying from his wounds. B Company 6 RAR was sent out early on the morning of the 17th to find the VC heavy weapons. D Company (to which were attached three New Zealand Army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
personnel) relieved B Company at midday on the 18th. The commander of B Company, Major Noel Ford, briefed the D Company commander, Major Harry Smith, and B Company returned to base. After discussing the situation with the 6 RAR battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Colin Townsend, D Company moved to the east towards the limit of their covering artillery's range.
Battle
At 15:40, a small group of Viet Cong soldiers walked into the middle of 11 Platoon on the right flank of D Company. One was killed in the action, and once the area was cleared 11 Platoon moved forward again. Several light mortar rounds were fired towards the company position landing to the east, not the 82 mm mortars that had fired at the base on the night of 16 August. The accompanying Forward Observation Officer (FO), New Zealand Captain Morrie Stanley, organised counter battery fire, and this probably silenced them although they may have fired at B Company later. No further mortar fire was reported during the battle. This diversion separated the main company slightly from 11 Platoon, putting the main body behind a slight rise.As 11 Platoon continued to advance they were attacked by heavy machine-gun fire and immediately sustained six casualties. Following normal contact procedures, the platoon went into a defensive position. The Viet Cong formed an assault and attacked 11 Platoon around 20 minutes after initial contact with support from their heavy machine-guns. Stanley called in all available support from the artillery units in support of 1 ATF, and 10 Platoon moved up to the left of 11 Platoon to try to relieve pressure on them and allow them to withdraw to the company defensive position. The commander of 11 Platoon, national serviceman Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
Gordon Sharp, was killed and Sergeant Bob Buick assumed command of the platoon. During this engagement both platoons' radios went out but one was sent forward to 10 Platoon and the 11 Platoon aerial was repaired.
Heavy monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
rain began falling on the battlefield reducing visibility considerably, probably saving many lives on both sides. 10 Platoon, under Second Lieutenant Geoff Kendall, also came under fire and went into a defensive position. 12 Platoon, commanded by Second Lieutenant Dave Sabben, had been the reserve platoon, and it was ordered to the right to support 11 Platoon. 12 Platoon left one section behind to support Company Headquarters. The company called for close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
but when it arrived it was unable to identify targets due to the weather and rubber plantation. The US aircraft dropped their bombs to the east disrupting the Viet Cong rear areas. Smith requested helicopter reinforcements from 6 RAR. B Company headquarters with its one platoon had not yet got back to Nui Dat and was ordered back to Long Tan but was then stopped.
The Australian soldiers were carrying a light load, approximately five magazines, and after nearly three hours of combat ran low on ammunition. At 17:00 Smith called for an ammunition resupply. By coincidence, two UH-1 Iroquois
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
from No. 9 Squadron, Royal Australian Regiment
No. 9 Squadron RAAF
No. 9 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force. The Squadron saw active service in World War II and the Vietnam War before being disbanded in 1989.-Fleet co-operation:...
were available at the Nui Dat base, having just been used as transport for a Col Joye
Col Joye
Colin Frederick Jacobsen AM , better known by his stage name Col Joye, is an Australian popular entertainer and entrepreneur...
and Little Pattie
Little Pattie
Little Pattie is the stage name of Australian singer, Patricia Thelma Amphlett OAM later Patricia Thompson, who performed as a 1960s surf pop singer and then in adult contemporary music...
concert. One of the Iroquois pilots, Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
Bob Grandin, disobeyed orders by dropping supplies to D Company. He recalled: "...[i]t did sound extremely bad on the radio."
Because the ammunition resupply was to be dropped from a helicopter some distance above the tree height the wooden (outer) crates with metal straps were wrapped in blankets for the wounded. However, no-one thought to provide any tools to cut the straps and the tired soldiers had to smash open the crates with machettes and the butts of their SLRs during the battle to get to the inner metal ammunition boxes. Sergeant Neil Rankin (12 Platoon) later recounted frustration at not being able to quickly get to the ammunition at a time when the company was in an extremely dire situation with very low levels reported by many of the soldiers. Eventually the ammunition was freed but the soldiers then had to load the magazines themselves.
Magazines were considered part of soldiers' weapons and issuing was strictly controlled. (One of the lessons of Long Tan for the Australian Army was that combat personnel on operations started to carry more supplies, including more ammunition and food, to enable prolonged operations. Ammunition was later resupplied in magazines, and the issuing of magazines was relaxed.) The survivors of 11 Platoon withdrew to 12 Platoon and back to the Company area under the cover provided by the artillery and torrential rain.
At Nui Dat, A Company had been ordered to ready itself and the M-113 armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
s of the 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron
1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron (Australia)
The 1st Armoured Personnel Squadron was an armoured unit of the Australian Army raised for service during the Vietnam War. Raised in 1965 the unit was deployed to South Vietnam in May 1966 to join the 1st Australian Task Force...
to transport them. However, there was a delay of more than an hour from the time 1 APC Squadron was ordered to 6 RAR lines at Nui Dat to pick up A Company. Smith pressed Townsend to send reinforcements and even though Townsend had given the warning order to A Company to be prepared to go to the assistance of D Company, Jackson would not release the APCs to take them. Jackson considered that the attack on D Company was a possible feint and he did not want to reduce the defences at Nui Dat.
The Viet Cong continually formed assault waves and moved forward, but were broken up by artillery fire. Those who got through the gunfire were mown down by D Company men. Fortunately for the attackers, the soft boggy ground reduced the effect of the shell bursts, but there were a large number of wounded. The rain was so intense it kicked up a mist that gave the Australian soldiers some cover from the onslaught. Dave Sabben remembers the mist rising from the ground to about chest level. "All that's poking out of that is the diggers' hats and their eyes, not even their rifles," he said in a television interview with 60 Minutes. The soldiers of D Company held their line and repulsed any VC that got through the artillery barrage. D Company were supported by twenty-four 105 mm and 155 mm guns from the Australian 1st Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
1st Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
The 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery is a close support regiment attached to the 7th Brigade at Enoggera Barracks in Queensland. The unit was formed in 1914 under the name 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade, part of 1st Division Artillery during World War I and later served in World War...
, 161st Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery
Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery
The Royal New Zealand Artillery forms the artillery section of the New Zealand Army. In its current form it was founded in 1947 with the amalgamation of the regular and volunteer units of artillery in New Zealand.-Modern structure:...
and the 2nd Battalion, US 35th Artillery Regiment
35th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
The 35th Field Artillery Regiment is an Field Artillery regiment of the United States Army.-Distinctive Unit Insignia:*DescriptionA gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches in height overall consisting of the shield and crest of the coat of arms.*SymbolismThe shield is red with a diagonal...
. Over 3,000 rounds of artillery were fired throughout the remainder of the battle at likely Viet Cong forming-up positions and withdrawal routes. "A" Battery, 1st Field Regiment fired rounds every 15 seconds for three hours. The US gunners were in the same base as "A" Battery and assisted the exhausted Australian gunners by carrying artillery rounds to their guns.
The reverse slope
Reverse slope defence
A reverse slope defence is a military tactic where a defending force is positioned on the slope of an elevated terrain feature such as a hill, ridge, or mountain, on the side opposite from the attacking force...
that D Company used to defend their position meant that the Viet Cong found it difficult to use their heavy calibre weapons effectively and they could only engage the Australians at close range as a result. The Viet Cong repeatedly tried to find the Australian flanks but the wide dispersal and excellent defensive position combined with the artillery support led to many Viet Cong casualties. Furthermore, as the Australian defence was not entirely static with some limited patrolling and contacts arising it caused the VC great difficulty in determining the exact perimeter and led the VC commanders to conclude they were facing a much larger force.
Meanwhile, seven APCs from 3 Troop and three from 2 Troop 1 APC Squadron led by Lieutenant Adrian Roberts had cleared the base barbed wire perimeter when Roberts received an order to send two carriers back for Townsend and to wait till Townsend came up. Hearing gunfire from Long Tan, Roberts ignored the second part of the order and attempted to cross the swollen river. Captain Charles Mollison, the A Company commander, agreed not to halt and wait for Townsend to catch up. Leaving one carrier to secure the crossing Roberts led seven APCs (with 80 men) into the plantation and encountered 100 plus enemy on a 240 metres (262.5 yd) wide front. "I will never forget the impact of our .50 calibre fire," said Roberts "a man struck by such fire is thrown away, his body arched like a bow." Corporal Carter used his Owen gun to kill two Viet Cong who were firing a 57 mm recoilless rifle
Recoilless rifle
A recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
at his APC. Corporal Peter Clements, an APC commander, was fatally wounded by machinegun fire and the APC's driver took out the machinegun by running over its operator. Under orders from Roberts, Sergeant Noel Lowes ran between carriers to take command of Clement's machine.
Smith later wrote of the final stages of the battle:
At 7 pm, on dark, the B Company platoon arrived, also delayed an hour. We placed them covering the south-west area, where we had engaged and put to flight numerous foliage-camouflaged VC. The intensity of the VC attacks decreased about this time. Not long after, seven APCs, some with lights on, A Company on board, arrived from the south, welcomed by the cheers of my company. The APCs had swum a flooded river, ignored orders to stop, and gallantly fought through two groups of VC on their way in, with 11 men of Lieutenant Peter Dinham’s 2 Platoon, A Company, led by Sergeant Frank Alcorta, spontaneously dismounting from one carrier, courageously taking on a large VC formation and killing many. The APCs lost one crew commander but put the VC to flight with their noise and heavy machine-gun fire. All firing ceased as though the tap was turned off! Three more APCs arrived, having been ordered back to the base to bring out 6RAR's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Colin Townsend, and his headquarters party. He took command. When it became obvious the enemy was not going to counter-attack, he gave orders for a withdrawal, and after midnight we were able to get our casualties out by helicopter.
In the teeming rain a 3 Troop APC under Roberts and 11 men of 2 Platoon A Company under Lieutenant Peter Dinham had earlier attacked the forward elements of D445 Battalion, taking them by surprise. Roberts recalled the intense artillery barrage that brought down trees in black bursts of oily smoke towards the D Company position. B Company fired on enemy which were withdrawing to the east. An Australian soldier from B Company, Private Johnson, was slightly wounded as they approached D Company from friendly fire off the top of one APC, believing them to be enemy in the gloom. Roberts also recalls that the enemy had begun to withdraw before Townsend arrived.
The fresh reinforcements formed a screen in front of D Company allowing them to treat the wounded and rest, and prepare to resist a counterattack that did not come. During the night the artillery fired on likely forming-up points of the VC and the force withdrew, with most of the 24 wounded evacuated by helicopter. This was a strong force and should have been able to repulse any night attack. As it happened, there was no further contact that night or for the next three days. Lieutenant Colonel Bob Breen wrote later:
[T]he battle discipline and bravery of the Australians, the cover provided by the torrential rain and the effects of hundreds of artillery and mortar rounds falling among the Viet Cong attackers resulted in a stunning victory for the Australians and a further enhancement for the fighting tradition of Australian infantry.
Commemoration and reconciliation
A US Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) was awarded to D Company 6 RAR, by President Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
on 28 May 1968, for the unit's actions at Long Tan. The text of the citation reads as follows:
- By virtue of the authority invested in me as the President of the United States and as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, I have today awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for extraordinary heroism to D Company, Sixth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, The Australian Army.
- D Company distinguished itself by extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations against an opposing armed force in Vietnam on 18 August 1966.
- While searching for Viet Cong in a rubber plantation northeast of Ba Ria, Phuoc Tuy, Province, Republic of Vietnam, D Company met and immediately engaged in heavy contact. As the battle developed, it became apparent that the men of D Company were facing a numerically superior force. The platoons of D Company were surrounded and attacked on all sides by an estimated reinforced enemy battalion using automatic weapons, small arms and mortars. Fighting courageously against a well armed and determined foe, the men on D Company maintained their formations in a common perimeter defence and inflicted heavy casualties on the Viet Cong.
- The enemy maintained a continuous, intense volume of fire and attacked repeatedly from all directions. Each successive assault was repulsed by the courageous Australians. Heavy rainfall and low ceiling prevented any friendly close air support during the battle. After three hours of savage attacks, having failed to penetrate the Australian lines, the enemy withdrew from the battlefield carrying many dead and wounded, and leaving 245 Viet Cong dead forward of the defence positions of D Company.
- The conspicuous courage, intrepidity and indomitable courage of D Company were to the highest tradition of military valour and reflect great credit upon D Company and the Australian Army.
Soldiers posted to D Company 6 RAR still wear the PUC on their uniforms. 6 RAR erected a concrete cross to commemorate those who died. This was removed by the government of Vietnam following the communist victory in 1975, but has now been replaced by a larger monument of similar design. The original is on display at Dong Nai province museum in Bien Hoa
Bien Hoa
Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495...
. In more recent times former officers from D Company have visited Vietnam and met former adversaries.
The date the battle began, 18 August, is commemorated in Australia as Long Tan Day, also known as Vietnam Veterans' Remembrance Day. At the 40th year commemoration, in 2006, veterans were accompanied by Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddle at the Long Tan Cross; following the commemoration a concert was held at Vung Tau where former Redgum
Redgum
Redgum were an Australian folk and political music group formed in Adelaide in 1975 by singer-songwriter John Schumann, Michael Atkinson on guitars/vocals and Verity Truman on flute/vocals; they were soon joined by Chris Timms on violin. All four had been students at Flinders University and...
band member John Schumann
John Schumann
John Lewis Schumann is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. He is best known as the lead singer for the folk group Redgum, with their chart-topping hit "I Was Only 19 ", a song exploring the psychological and medical side-effects of serving in the Australian forces during...
sang "I Was Only Nineteen
I Was Only Nineteen
"Only Nineteen", "I Was Only Nineteen" or "A Walk in the Light Green" is the most widely recognised song by Australian folk group Redgum. The song was released in March 1983 as a single, which hit number one on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart for two weeks...
" which describes the experiences of Vietnam veteran Mick Storen (Schumann's brother-in-law).
An Australian television account of the battle which can be watched for free online, entitled The Battle of Long Tan narrated by Sam Worthington (Avatar, Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans) was produced for FOXTEL and broadcast on The History Channel on 16 August 2006.
A feature film, a fictionalised account written and directed by Australian filmmaker Bruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 40-year career.-Early life:...
, and entitled Long Tan, is scheduled for release in 2011. The film is being produced by Martin Walsh and is expected to have a budget of up to $42 million.
Citations
Smith was recommended for a Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO), but received the lower award of a Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(MC). Brigadier Oliver David Jackson was awarded a DSO the citation for which read in part: "in one action on 18 August 1966, he personally directed the engagement which accounted for 254 enemy dead by body count with very light comparative losses to his own troops. His able personal direction was a decisive factor." Some evidence, however, suggests Jackson spent most of the battle in his tent. Townsend also received a DSO the citation for which read in part "As soon as the initial heavy contact with the enemy was made by his company (Delta) on patrol he moved immediately with a relief company in armoured personnel carriers to join his company and took firm and decisive control of the battle." Some evidence, however establishes that Townsend arrived after the battle was over and by ordering the armoured personnel carrier-borne relief force to wait for him to catch up caused its commander, Roberts, to divide his troop. Major General Peter Abigail, Major General Steve Gower and Brigadier Gerry Warner wrote in the Long Tan Recognition Review (2008) that "both awards [Jackson's and Townsend's DSOs] relate to their entire periods of command." Ellery claims, however, that in 1966 the guidelines for the DSO specified that it had to be awarded for gallant leadership in the field, and not for good service generally.
Two of the three platoon commanders were recommended for a MC, but neither was awarded. The Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(MM) was recommended for the third (acting) platoon commander, Buick, who subsequently received the award. A Mentioned in Dispatches was denied to Sharp who was shot through the neck as he rose to his knees to direct artillery fire at the early stages of the battle. Two Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
s, and another MM were also awarded to other soldiers. The lack of recognition paid to Australian veterans by the Australian government became the subject of intense criticism. In November 2006, the then Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
, visited Long Tan, the first Prime Minister to do so. He acknowledged the poor treatment that Australian Vietnam veterans had received. In March 2008 the Long Tan Recognition Review recommended upgrading the awards to three officers of D Company 6 RAR. The Government accepted the recommendations for upgraded awards to Smith (upgraded to the Star of Gallantry
Star of Gallantry
The Star of Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force and other persons recognised by the Minister for Defence. It is awarded for acts of great heroism or conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of great peril...
under the new honours system
Australian Honours System
-History:The Commonwealth of Australia, until 1975, used the Imperial or British honours system. Only a handful of peerages were created for Australians, some in recognition of public services rendered in Britain rather than Australia. Some hereditary peers and baronets whose titles derive from...
), while Kendall and Sabben's awards were upgraded to the Medal for Gallantry
Medal for Gallantry
The Medal for Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It recognises acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances. The MG was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent. It is ranked third in the Gallantry Decorations...
. Despite the Long Tan Recognition Review recommending to the contrary, on 18 August 2008 the Rudd Australian government granted approval for members of D Company 6 RAR to wear the Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation of the former Republic of Vietnam. In relation to the South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
ese medals, in line with British military policy, the Australian government was not prepared to formally accept awards from foreign powers without the prior approval of the Queen. The Australian Ambassador gave this advice to the South Vietnamese government, which decided at the last moment not to award the medals. Soon afterwards the Australian Army introduced a more relaxed policy of informally allowing the acceptance of presented awards.
On 2 September 2009 the Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal (Prof. Dennis Pearce, Lieutenant Colonel John Jones and Warrant Officer Kevin Woods) (charged by the Long Tan Recognition Review with investigating outstanding claims) reported to the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support (Mike Kelly) that protocols related to the system of honours and awards required that consideration of an award be initiated by an authorised officer. In this case Harry Smith on 21 August 1966 moderated recommendations from platoon commanders and company sergeant major and submitted a list (now lost) to Lieutenant Colonel Townsend. This list included recommendations for awards to Sharp and seven D Company 6 RAR soldiers. Townsend rejected a number of these recommendations as "too many". The Tribunal found that no "clear anomaly or manifest injustice" had been established. It made a recommendation for one further individual award—the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)—be made to Flight Lieutenant Cliff Dohle. They also recommended a Unit Citation for Gallantry
Unit Citation for Gallantry
The Unit Citation for Gallantry is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises extraordinary gallantry in action. The Unit Citation for Gallantry was created in 1991, along with the Meritorious Unit Citation. The actual citation is a warrant...
to D Company, 6 RAR. On 18 August 2011, the 45th anniversary of the battle, members of D Company 6 RAR were finally awarded the citation, which was presented by the Governor General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland....
.
Strength and casualties
The official Australian figure that 2,500 NVA/VC were involved in the battle with D Company was determined by US and Australian Army Intelligence Reports. Australian Vietnam veteran Bob Breen has written that "just over 100 diggers withstood the best efforts of over 1,500 Viet Cong soldiers to kill them." The US Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) awarded to D Company 6 RAR, however, reports that only a reinforced enemy battalion were involved in the action. On paper each of the three 275th Regiment battalions had roughly 400 men, but according to the North Vietnamese/VC commanders, all were seriously undermanned. Some 275th Regiment veterans and (former North) Vietnamese historians have recently claimed that only 47 VC and NVA were killed in action and about 100 wounded. Mark Baker of the Sydney Morning Herald wrote in 1996, after meeting ex-VC and NVA commanders at Long Tan: "[The] senior [north] Vietnamese officers made the startling claim that only 700 of their men had taken part in the battle—half the most conservative Australian estimate—and that only 50 had been killed." These claims are at odds with Viet Cong records later captured by US forces however, which indicated that the total Viet Cong losses at Long Tan in the order of 500 dead and 750 wounded. There was also evidence when the Australians returned to clean up that many bodies had already been removed by the Vietnamese which is quite possible as the Australians did withdraw from the area and did not return until the next day.Tactics
It has been alleged that Australian commanders knew that there was a North Vietnamese regiment moving towards the rubber plantation area prior to the battle. A top secret Australian signals unit (547 Troop) did track what they determined to be the radio from 275 Regiment for 12 days (2 to 14 August 1966) and this information was shared with Jackson. Australian intelligence relied on many sources and there was no way to determine whether the radio was in fact located with the 275 Regiment forces. Jackson began a series of patrols and some of those patrols, including A Company and 6 RAR, actually went into the Long Tan rubber plantation on 17 August but no contact was made. The top secret 547 Signals Troop was so secret that information gathered from it was not shared with Australian field commanders, such as Townsend or Smith, to prevent them giving away the fact that the Australians were monitoring enemy radios.Many North Vietnamese participants are also adamant that D Company walked into an ambush, although enemy reports were not consistent with the facts. They state that the VC had planned to draw the Australian force into a wooded area to the north of the rubber plantation, where heavy weapons had been set up on a rise known to the Australians as "Nui Dat 2 GR4868". Another 100 members of D445 Battalion were in the south near the village of Long Tan. One platoon with several rocket launchers had been placed on the south western edge of the plantation, hoping to slow down any APC-mounted reinforcements, and cut off an Australian retreat. In 2006, Sau Thu, a former major in D445 Battalion, was quoted as saying that he had been ordered to lure the Australians out of Nui Dat, kill as many of them as possible, capture their weapons and then take the base. "We didn't know how many you had in Nui Dat. We tried to draw them out... We thought they would go one way but the Australian soldiers went the wrong way and came behind us."
In July 2006, Sabben and Buick visited the site of the battle for a 60 Minutes story, titled "The Forgotten Heroes" (link to video). They met Nguyen Minh Ninh, former vice-commander of D445 Battalion. Minh said: "You won. But we won also. Tactically and militarily you won—but politically, we won. In this battle you acted out of our control—you [escaped] from our trap." According to journalist Cameron Stewart, it was the first time that a senior North Vietnamese officer had admitted that his soldiers had been defeated at Long Tan.
According to Terry Burstall, the North Vietnamese commander at Long Tan, Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hong, was amazed that the Australians could look on the battle as a victory:
- How can you claim a victory when you allowed yourselves to walk into a trap that we had set? Admittedly we did not finish the job, but that was only because time beat us and your reinforcements arrived. I mean you did not even attempt to follow us up. How can you claim a significant victory from that sort of behaviour?
However, Townsend was unable to pursue the 275th Regiment because of the vulnerability of the Nui Dat base to an attack from the 274th Regiment. Moreover, Operation Toledo was launched seven days later.
Bob Buick faced criticism in 2000, after he published his memoirs. In the book, Buick admitted killing a mortally wounded North Vietnamese soldier on the Long Tan battlefield, the day after the firefight. Burstall pointed out that any such an act constituted a prima facie breach of the Geneva Convention. Buick's decision to publish his memoirs was also criticised by the president of the Australian Long Tan Association, John Heslewood, who was a private in 11 Platoon during the battle.
External links
- Documentary video: 'The Battle of Long Tan' Narrated by Sam Worthington and first broadcast on The History Channel, 16 August 2006
- Video: 60 Minutes 'The Forgotten Heroes' 13 August 2006
- Video: 60 Minutes Postscript to 'The Forgotten Heroes' 17 August 2008
- 6 RAR Commander's Diary
- (Long Tan vets win recognition at last)
- (Bob Buick's Vietnam Page)
- (The forgotten heroes)
- Martin Walsh, 2006, "The Battle of Long Tan, South Vietnam, 18 August 1966, Quick Facts Sheet".
- Harry Smith (no date), "The Battle of Long Tan"
- anzacday.org, 2000, "Being a historian: Investigating the Battle of Long Tan" (School resources)
- Terry Burstall, 1991, "Long Tan: The Other Side of the Hill" (Interviews with Vietnamese participants.)
- The Battle of Long Tan