A group of Vietnam veterans and ex-service members celebrated the 52nd anniversary of the battle at Long Tan (now known as Vietnam Veterans Day) at the war memorial located at Club Narooma on Saturday.
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President of the Narooma RSL sub branch Paul Naylor conducted the service with sub branch treasurer Jon King acting as master of ceremonies.
Narooma RSL sub branch vice president, Jeff Iles spoke about the battle of Long Tan that experts and historians agreed it was one of the most decisive battles of the Vietnam War.
“The action took place on the August 18, 1966 in a rubber plantation near the village of Xa Long Tan and it was written that the area was "as big as two or three football fields”.
“In 1966 the 1st Australian Task Force (ATF) was deployed in the Communist controlled province of Phuoc Tuy where a forward base was set up on a small hill at Nui Dat and patrolling of the area began at once to clear a buffer zone around the base from VC mortars.
“On August 17 the VC launched a surprise attack on the base. Unknown to the Australians seven VC battalions (over 4,000 men) were closing in on Nui Dat through the Long Tan rubber plantation.
“D company (108 men) who had taken over from B company in the sweep ran into the forward elements of the VC attackers around 4pm on the 18th and a fire fight started with the VC trying to outflank the three Australian rifle platoons (10, 11, 12). Each platoon came under intense enemy fire and were unable to come to the rescue of their comrades.
“However due to sustained 105mm artillery fire from Nui Dat, the delivery of extra ammunition and the arrival of 10 APC (Armored Personnel Carriers) knocked the spirit out of the VC and by 6.30pm the enemy had withdrawn leaving 245 dead.
“Seventeen Australians were killed.
“After this the VC never seriously challenged the Australians again in Phuoc Tuy province and it remained so until after we left in 1971,” Mr Iles said.