Australian army training team, vietnam raised in 1962, the aattv was the first australian unit into vietnam and the last to leave. Serong now brigadier, retired with vietnamese officers at dong da. Australian army training team vietnam it is their war and you are to help them, not win it for them lawrence of arabia, 1917 the australian army trainingteam vietnam aattv, affectionately known as the team, was raised and sent to vietnam in 1962 initially under the command of colonel f. They were em ployed with operational units of the arvn and special forces and in mobile advisory training teams. A history of the australian army training team in vietnam, as told through the personal recollections of the men who served in the. Australian army training team vietnam aattv medallion this limited edition proof quality medallion minted from brass alloy and finished in highly polished silver and gold, features a photograph of an advisor training a south vietnamese soldier. Training the bodes national library of australia bookshop. The commander of the australian army training team vietnam aattv, colonel ted serong, arrived in saigon, south vietnam, on 31 july 1962. Commencing in 1962 with the deployment of the australian army training team vietnam aattv, the australian army commitment to the vietnam war lasted until 1972.
From 1962 to 1972 australia joined the united states in fighting a communist inspired insurgency war in the jungles of south vietnam against infiltrators who sought to overthrow the local government. Its a little confussing with royal australian corps of signals rasigs records of service in south vietnam. Australian army training team viet nam digger history. United states army meritorious unit commendation to the.
From 1962 to 1972, the australian army training team, vietnam the. Media release australian army training team, vietnam. Moise, frank vaughan, john tegtmeier with numerous contributions by others 09 australian army training team vietnam. Vietnam remains one of most controversial and difficult wars that has been fought. The pilatus porter and australian army aviation a14680 at nui dat vietnam 1970 introduction. Fortunately, you can help the australian army visualise and think differently about the near future, and the battlefields it may face. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. Barrie served in south vietnam with aattv as a wo2 from 10 nov 1964 to dec 64l van thanh district training.
Brigadier serong was australias foremost jungle warfare expert from the 1950s until his retirement from the australian army in the mid1960s. Meet the veterans of the australian army training team vietnam. Australian army training team vietnam monument australia. Major mcquires copies of the meritorious unit commendation made to the australian army training team, vietnam and the citation for the award. This elite hand picked team remains one of the most highly decorated units in the history of the australian. Team members were deployed to south vietnam for a 12month tour of duty. Australian army training team vietnam the first contingent of the australian army training team aattv arrived in south vietnam on 3 august 1962. Members of the australian army training team vietnam. Vietnam war, 19611975 regimental histories australia. A small group of australians, which never numbered more than 30 officers, warrant officers and noncommissioned officers of the australian army training team vietnam, helped train 27 light infantry battalions of the cambodian army in south vietnam during 1972.
The area the tunnels were in was known as the iron triangle, specifically in hobo woods, 45 kilometres north west of saigon. If you would like to participate, visit the project page. Home training the bodes australian army advisers training cambodian infantry battalions a postscript to the vietnam war. The calibre of instructors was again very high, the chief instructor being lieutenant colonel ltcol george warfe, who had won an mc in new guinea and a dso in borneo, and who had also served in the malayan. On the fiftieth anniversary of australias first involvement comes vietnam. This is the official website of aattv association which has been set up by rick ryan aattv association wa branch inc.
The minister for veterans affairs dan tehan said the aattv served in vietnam for over ten years and were one of the most highly decorated units in the history of the australian army. He joined the cmf and, on 14 october 1958, len was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 4348 battalion royal south australian regiment. Initially numbering only approximately 30 men, the size of the unit grew several times over the following years as the australian commitment to south vietnam gradually grew, with the units. This month we come forward in time and take a look at an australian unit that became both the longestserving and most highly decorated of the war in vietnam. The australian army training centre, the home of military logistics for the australian army, is holding an inaugural writing and multimedia competition.
Australian army training team vietnam listed as aattv. After a long illness, brigadier ted serong, one of australias most distinguished solders and former head of the australian army training team vietnam, died in melbourne on october 1, aged 86. Commencing as the army flying corps in 19 australian army aviation reemerged during the korean war of 194953. Initially numbering only approximately 30 men, the size of the unit. The team aattv vietnam war book books on war australia. The australian army trainingteam vietnam aattv, affectionately known as the team, was raised and sent to vietnam in 1962 initially under the. The australian army basic training at kapooka near wagga wagga is either 80 or 35 days depending on whether you join as a fulltime member ara or as a reservist ares. The first members of the australian army training team vietnam. Books, images, historic newspapers, maps, archives and more. The australian army training team vietnam aattv was the first australian unit deployed to vietnam and the last to be.
The australian army training team vietnam aattv began arriving in saigon, south vietnam on 2 july 1962. The australian army trainingteam vietnam aattv, affectionately known as the team, was raised and sent to vietnam in 1962 initially under the command of colonel f. He reestablished the jungle training centre at canungra in the 1950s and developed the australian army doctrine of counterinsurgency warfare. For australians, vietnam remains one of most difficult and controversial wars we have fought. The complete story of the australian war, for anyone who wishes to understand why australia went to war, and wants to make sense of the intensely unrelenting warfare.
Yet the extent of his achievements is little known in the country of his birth. B this article has been rated as bclass on the projects quality scale. The australian army training team vietnam aattv, affectionately known as the team. Australian army training team vietnam how is australian. In team 19 in vietnam, david millie offers an insightful account of his twelvemonth tour with the renowned australian army training team vietnam in quang tri province a crucial tactical site along the demilitarized zone that was north vietnams gateway to the south. Vietnam war 1962 to 1975 australian army training team. The aattv the most highly decorated australian unit of the viet name war. Vietnam the aattv fought shouldertoshoulder with the vietnamese army and became the most decorated unit of the vietnam war. Australian army training team vietnam aattv sponsored by. Royal australian corps of signals in south vietnam au104. Training in australia 5th battalion, royal australian.
Serong, later first commanding officer of the australian army training team, vietnam. This 50th anniversary 19622012 australian army training team vietnam collection remembers the special role this small team had in australias commitment to the vietnam war. Australias initial commitment to supporting the american stance in vietnam consisted of the deployment of a team of military advisers. Keith payne and australian army training team abc news. Participation of australian army training team, vietnam, 19621972. This article is from the vietnam faq, by brian ross, john r. The men who persevered bruce davies and gary mckay australia. At that time the australian army was undergoing reequipment from.
The vietnam war gave captain opie another chance to display his military skills and, in may 1966, len was posted to the australian army training team, vietnam. Due to the current covid19 virus crisis please note that orders may experience delays in getting posted. Training the bodes australian army advisers training. The reverse of the medallion features the aattv 50th insignia. Web site of the vietnam veterans association of australia, including information about australias involvement in the vietnam war, as well as a range of current issues relating to australian vietnam veterans. Members of the australian army training team vietnam abc. The complete story of the australian war, for anyone who wishes to understand why australia went to war, and who wants to make sense of the intensely unrelenting warfare. Depending on what corps job you go into, it could be the most difficult t. Citation for the australian army training team, vietnam. Home koreamalaya vietnam vietnam war 1962 to 1975 australian army training team vietnam covid19 update.
Mid this article has been rated as midimportance on the projects importance scale. Australia committed troops to vietnam in august 1962 when the first elements of the australian army training team vietnam aattv arrived in country. Australian army training team vietnam is within the scope of wikiproject australia, which aims to improve wikipedia s coverage of australia and australiarelated topics. Australian army training team vietnam memorial monument. The australian army training team, vietnam distinguished itself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services from july 1962 to august 1969.
In 1962 the aattv landed in vietnam to train vietnamese units. Australian load carrying equipment 19451988 by rick landers. The memorial commemorates all those who served with australian army training team unit during the vietnam war. Aattv australian army training team vietnam radix press. The 15 officers and 15 senior ncos warrant officerssergeants that made up the team arrived in saigon on 3 august 1962.
For its efforts the unit was awarded the united states army. The australian army training team vietnam was a specialist unit of military advisors of the australian army that operated during the vietnam war. Over the years, the australian team of advisers australian army training team vietnam aattv grew to 100 members, all officers or warrant officers, and then, from 1970, to 222 of all ranks. The australian army training team vietnam served in south vietnam from 31st july 1962 to 16th december 1972, the longest period of continuous active service of any australian military unit. Australian army training team, vietnam the australian. It numbered just 30 men and was made up of a mixture of officers, sergeants and warrant officers under the command of colonel f. Rick ryan aattv association western australia branch inc. The national library of australia bookshop, located in canberra, sells books and merchandise by australian authors and artists, and prizewinning international books. He instructed the armed forces of burma in jungle warfare in the late 1950s and was a strategic advisor to the burmese army from 1960 to 1962. Serong was appointed to command the australian army training team vietnam aattv in 1962. Australian army training team vietnam the australian war. Weapon lsw, a belt fed automatic weapon carried within a rifle section. The tunnels were, during the vietnam war, the headquarters of the revolutionary forces known as the viet cong of the cholonjardin area of saigon.
Ted serong was one of the most original and influential of the australian armys planners in the postwar period. The australian army training team vietnam aattv was a specialist unit of military advisors of the australian army that operated during the vietnam war. Australian army training team vietnam public group facebook. Situated at kapooka, an outer suburb of wagga wagga, in the riverina region of new south wales, the army recruit training centre artc is located within blamey barracks, about 9. Facsimile copy of the certificate for the meritorious unit commendation awarded to the. Raised in 1962, the unit was formed solely for service as part of australias contribution to the war, providing training and assistance to south vietnamese forces.
Based mainly in phuoc tuy province, the armys commitment included artillery, infantry, special forces and armoured elements. It is heavily skewed toward the australian army training team vietnam. On the 50th anniversary of australias first involvement comes vietnam. The australian army training team vietnam aattv, affectionately known as the team, was raised and sent to vietnam in 1962 initially under the command of colonel f. The team in pictures 1962 1972 welcome to regimental books.
Personnel assigned to tdy teams are already noted in the respective tdy books, but those personnel listed below, serving with a pcs unit will be included in the. There are lessons on the history of the australian army and extensive sessions on developing selfawareness, army. The australian army and the vietnam war 19501966 the official history of australias involvement in southeast asian conflicts 194819 9781863732826 by mcneill, ian and a great selection of similar new, used and. Australian army logistics training centre fiction and. Army recruit training centre artc is the official name given to the australian armys basic training establishment since 1 december 1998.
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