Vietnam Veterans’ Day – their legacy lives on
Yesterday, we remembered all who served in the Vietnam War, our nation’s longest military engagement in the 20th Century.
Our initial commitment began with the arrival in the former Republic of South Vietnam of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam in July and August 1962. By 1966, the deployment grew from 30 military advisors to a battalion, then to a task force.
Some 60,000 Australian defence personnel served in the Vietnam War, with the last combat troops returning to our shores in March 1972. Some Australians returned to Vietnam to assist with evacuations and humanitarian work until the war’s final days in 1975.
By the time the war had come to an end, 523 Australians had lost their lives, with another 3,000 evacuated due to wounds, injury or illness.
On Vietnam Veterans’ Day we honour those who lost their lives in battle, those who still carry the physical and emotional scars of their service, those who loved and supported them, and those who have tragically lost their lives in the years since their return.
We take a moment to reflect on the bravery, teamwork, resilience and endurance displayed by Australians throughout the course of the war.
The legacy of Vietnam veterans endures through a commitment to looking out for each other. Bonds of camaraderie and mateship led the returned veterans to lobby the Australian Government for a specialised counselling and support service for veterans and their families.
Now known as Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling, the Vietnam Veterans’ Counselling Service (VVCS) was established in 1982 and has been serving the veteran community for over 40 years.
Over half a century later, the strong bonds of friendship and commitment between veterans of the Vietnam War live on, positively impacting the lives of those who came after them.
Lest we forget.
Image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial. Australian Army soldiers from Charlie Company 5RAR carry their wounded mate to safety.