Description
Object description
Australian officer served as pilot with Royal Australian Navy in Australia, 1960-1969; commanded Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam in South Vietnam, 1970-1971
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Carlton, and Fremantle, Australia, 1941-1958: family; death of father serving with Royal Australian Air Force; childhood in Fremantle; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Australian Navy in Australia, 1958-1960: selection for pilot training; arrival at HMAS Cerberus, Flinders Naval Depot, Mornington Peninsula; degree of awareness of Australian involvement in Second World War and post-war conflicts; lack of political indoctrination in Royal Australian Navy; awareness of situation in South Vietnam; training for naval role in Cold War; officer courses prior to graduation, 3/1960. Recollections of period as pilot with Royal Australian Navy in Australia, 1960-1969: operational training with 725 Naval Air Sqdn at HMAS Albatross, Nowra; meaning of operational status; mess atmosphere; story of engine problem in Fairey Gannet during exercise; activities during first flight in aircraft.
REEL 2 Continues: types of aircraft flown; differences between propeller driven and jet aircraft; deck landing training; taking off from aircraft carrier; skills of pilots; opinion of Bristol Sycamore and Westland Wessex 31B helicopters; description of flying helicopters; risks of flying; deployment to squadron with Far East Reserve Fleet; relations with Indonesia; growing awareness of conflict in South Vietnam; attitude to prospect of Australian involvement in Vietnam War; establishment of joint Australian/American helicopter unit in South Vietnam, 1967; question of motivation of military personnel in conflict.
REEL 3 Continues: screening aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney off South Vietnam, 1965. Recollections of operations commanding Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam in South Vietnam, 1970-1971: background to appointment to South Vietnam; awareness of Australian contingent's role in Vietnam War; lack of awareness of use of napalm and Agent Orange; use of gas in tunnels; preparations and training prior to move to South Vietnam; opinion of Vietnamese opponents; lack of questioning of Australian presence in South Vietnam and opinion of opposition to war; final training course; flight from Australia to South Vietnam, 9/1970 via Singapore; initial impressions of South Vietnam; departure of unit from Sydney.
REEL 4 Continues: attitude to prospect of active service; promotion to acting lieutenant commander; journey to Dong Tam; military presence in South Vietnam; description of base at Dong Tam; briefings on arrival including on drugs; first experience of gunfire; character of American officers; initial shortages experienced; first operational flight; attitude to being under fire; procedures on being shot down; reasons for wearing scarf; description of operational 'packages'; initial orientation.
REEL 5 Continues: planning of daily operations; activities prior to first flights; preparations of landing zones; length of days; operational procedures; attitude to being at war; casualty evacuation; recovery of downed helicopters; tactics employed by Communist forces; North Vietnamese Army (NVA) mortar firing on Dong Tam base; Communist booby traps; ambush on landing zone; opinion of American tactic of fighting only in daylight; nature of conflict in South Vietnam.
REEL 6 Continues: character of Vietnamese opposition; 'Vietnamisation' of forces; unit morale; attitude towards casualties; loss of helicopter to mechanical failure, 4/4/1971; operating in U Minh Forest; principles of operating in suspicious areas; captaining helicopter; lack of need for spiritual guidance; use of helicopters to transport stores in remote bases.
REEL 7 Continues: operating in tropical conditions; lack of effect of monsoon on maintenance programme; incident of helicopter rocket detonating near his door, 8/2/1971; question of receiving 'friendly fire'; lack of effect of cross-border operations on flight; winding down of operations in Vietnam; further details of impact of 'Vietnamisation'; 'hearts and minds' and pacification operations; lack of direct contact with Vietnamese villagers; counting down of days until end of tour; return flight to Australia, 6/1971.
REEL 8 Continues: sense of anti-climax on return to Australia; question of degree of awareness of civilians of Australian role in Vietnam War; question of psychological effects of service in Vietnam War; attitude of veterans to end of conflict and later waves of boat people refugees; attitude to service in South Vietnam; story of receiving mouldy meat pies; reaction of crews to watching film of families at home, Christmas, 25/12/1970; lack of effect on his career of service in Vietnam War; outline of career with Royal Australian Navy, 1971-1982; attitude to having served with Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam War.