ADGie News 2009 ..............................

Subject: Vietnam Medal for 1975

G'day Mick,

How's it going?   Just tried to ring you, but no answer, so thought I would email this info.

Some good news - there is going to be an inquiry into whether RAAF 1975 service should be eligible for the Vietnam Medal.

The Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal will conduct the inquiry and make recommendations to the government.    All the info can be obtained from their website:-   www.defence-honours-tribunal.gov.au/

Submission will be accepted up until 1st June, so we have about four weeks to get it organized.    I already knew there was going to be an inquiry, but didn't know when, so already have my Submission ready to go.   Tomorrow night is Committee meeting for RAAF Vietnam Veterans Association here in Melbourne, so it will be discussed then, and they also will pass on the info to the RAAF Association, asking for their support.    I am going to contact the VVAA in Victoria see if they will also support it.   They already have a policy that the VM should be extended to the end of warlike service (29 Apr 75), so there should be no problem with them.

I've attached my Submission so you can get some ideas, but please let Trevor, the ADGs Association, (and anyone else you think can help) know, so the Tribunal can receive as many submissions as possible.

Good luck, and keep the fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Geoff

SUBMISSION

Eligibility of RAAF Personnel Serving in Vietnam, during 1975, for the Vietnam Medal

By

Geoff Rose
(Former RAAF Officer)

17 Ardcloney Drive
Sunbury Vic 3429
Ph/fax: (03) 9744 4212
Email: geoffrose10@bigpond.com

Summary

1.Important dates from final years of the Vietnam War: 11 Jan 73 - cessation of hostilities by Australian forces in Vietnam.   27 Jan 73 - Paris Peace Accords.   (Fighting continued in Vietnam)    10 Mar 75 - North commenced full scale assault on the South.   29 Mar 75 - South Vietnam urgently requested assistance from Australia - RAAF hastily redeployed to Vietnam.   25 Mar 75 - RAAF evacuated Australian Ambassador and remaining government personnel from Saigon.   30 Apr 75 - South Vietnam's unconditional surrender ended the Vietnam War.

2.RAAF Activities from 29 March to 25 April 1975: despite Australian political sensitivities, the RAAF conducted missions from Saigon, with full support and co-operation of the South Vietnamese government and military.

3.Warlike Service: The Review of Service Entitlement Anomalies (1996/7) recommended that RAAF 1975 operations in South Vietnam be reclassified to Warlike Service.   A Determination of Warlike Service was signed on 23 Dec 97.

4.Other Considerations:   the US declared their evacuation of Saigon as the Vietnam War's final campaign.   All US military personnel who participated are entitled to the Vietnam Service Medal and applicable Campaign Star.

5.Vietnam Medal anomalies: four anomalies are presented

6.Recommendation: My recommendation is to extend end-date for the Vietnam Medal to align with the end of warlike service in the Vietnam War.

The Australian Government's website 'IT'S AN HONOUR' states:- 'The Vietnam Medal recognises members of the Australian armed forces and members of accredited philanthropic organisations serving in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.........Service for the Vietnam Medal is recognised between 29 May 1964 and 27 January 1973'.

Important Dates from Final Years of the Vietnam War
18 December 1972: last elements of Australia's combat commitment departed Vietnam.

11 January 1973: Governor General proclaimed the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam by Australian forces, thereby formally ending Australia's combat role in the war.
27 January 1973: representatives of the governments of the United States, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and the Viet Cong signed 'The Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam' (The Paris Peace Accords).
10 April 1973: first official complaints of violations of the agreed cease-fire were delivered to the International Conference on Vietnam, in Paris.   In Vietnam, the fighting continued.
04 January 1974: South Vietnam's President Thieu declared that the war had resumed.
10 March 1975: Communist forces commenced a full-scale assault on the highlands' town of Ban Me Thuot, thus beginning their final campaign to win victory over Saigon.
22 March 1975: a Press Release from the Canberra Embassy of the Republic of Vietnam contained the statement:-
'The North Vietnamese Communists have completely torn out the Paris Agreement on Ending the war and Restoring Peace in Vietnam, of January 27, 1973'.
29 Mar 75: The Australian government received, through the US Embassy, an urgent request from the government of South Vietnam for assistance in the evacuation of refugees from the city of Da Nang, which was directly in the path of rapidly advancing communist forces. Australia's response was to hastily dispatch a contingent of RAAF transport aircraft to South Vietnam, on a humanitarian relief mission.
25 April 1975: last RAAF flights into and out of Saigon evacuated Australian Ambassador and remaining Australian personnel.
30 April 1975: Government of South Vietnam unconditionally surrendered to invading communist forces.

RAAF Activities from 29 March to 25 April 1975
The RAAF Contingent was based in Saigon; however the Australian government, sensitive to appear not to be favouring either side, restricted the RAAF's operations.   Paragraph 2.7, on page 15 of the 1976 Report from the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence states:- 'In meeting the call for air transport assistance on March 29 it is obvious that Australia intended assisting the Government of South Vietnam, the US and other countries in providing a massive sea and air evacuation of civilians from Da Nang to Cam Ranh Bay or to Saigon.   From 3 April onwards, however, decisions were taken in Canberra to limit the role of the RAAF'.
The North Vietnamese (DRV) Government requested humanitarian assistance from the United Nations, and Australia offered the use of RAAF aircraft.   However, a 'Confidential' Cablegram from Canberra to the Australian Embassy in Saigon, dated 11 April 75, advised: "the DRV has rejected the offer of RAAF transport for the carriage of UNICEF relief supplies into Hanoi for the PRG controlled areas of South Vietnam", stating, "The planes should be civilian ones and the crew should not wear military uniform".   The DRV stressed "military planes would not be acceptable under any circumstances", and insisted "the DRV was prepared to wait rather than give in on their principle of military planes".
Meanwhile, North Vietnamese forces continued their advance on Saigon, and the RAAF continued their operations supporting the South Vietnamese.
The Air Force had been dispatched to Vietnam at the request of the South Vietnamese (RVN) Government and all subsequent operations were conducted with their approval, and with full support, assistance and co-operation of the South Vietnamese military.
Tasks included the movement of refugees and Red Cross supplies from Phan Rang to Can Tho, transport of equipment and supplies to assist the establishment of a refugee camp on the South Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, evacuation of South Vietnamese war orphans as part of 'Operation Baby Lift', evacuation of Australians and other nationals from Saigon to Bangkok, and on 25 April 1975, the final withdrawal of Australia's Ambassador and remaining government personnel.
The RAAF's final task was a rescue mission.   Unbelievably, there was no room on the last evacuation aircraft for four Airfield Defence Guards!   They had been assigned to protect the Ambassador's departure, but were left stranded on the tarmac at Saigon's airport.   Hours later, a standby aircraft was able to land and extract the last Australian servicemen from the Vietnam War.

Co-operation and support from the South Vietnamese military was evident by the allocation of a specific parking area at the overcrowded Ton San Nhut Airport and provision of all necessary, ground support and Air Traffic services.   There were also joint operations involving the RAAF and RVN military: at Phan Rang, RVN soldiers placed cordons around RAAF aircraft in attempts to prevent panic-stricken refugees from storming the aircraft, while overhead, helicopter gunships protected against enemy attack. On Phu Quoc Island, Communist POWs unloaded the RAAF aircraft, under strict, armed guard of RVN soldiers and sailors.

Warlike Service
Australia was not at war in 1975.   War had never been declared in Vietnam, but throughout the conflict Australia responded to requests for assistance from the governments of South Vietnam and the United States.   First was in 1962, with the deployment of 30 Army instructors, and again in 1964, when the commitment changed from training to an enlarged combat role.   Then, after withdrawal of our troops and after the Paris Peace Accords had failed to end the fighting, a final, urgent request for assistance saw the RAAF return to the Vietnam War.
The RAAF 'humanitarian relief' mission was conducted in an active war zone.   Crewmembers were armed.   They attended daily intelligence briefings and were advised of South Vietnamese aircraft losses, suspected locations of communist SAM sites, areas to avoid and recommended 'safe' routes.   Air Commodore Lyall Klaffer (Retd), who on 30 March 1975, was attached as Senior RAAF Officer to the Saigon Embassy wrote, on 07 August 2002, in a submission to the 'Clarke' Review of Veterans' Entitlements, "As far as the RAAF was concerned, we were still part of a warlike action in Vietnam".
In 1996, a joint review by Departments of Defence and Veterans' Affairs (The Review of Service Entitlement Anomalies) concluded:- "Vietnam did not become less hazardous after the withdrawal of Australian troops at the beginning of 1973 and may have in fact become more so. The country continued as an active 'war' zone until its collapse to the communist forces in 1975."
23 December 1997: In recognition of 'danger incurred from hostile enemy forces', The Hon Bronwyn Bishop, Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel, signed a 'Determination of Warlike Service', extending the period of warlike service in Vietnam from 11 January 1973, to 29 April 1975.   RAAF personnel subsequently received coverage under the VEA for qualifying and operational service, were awarded the Australian Active Service Medal, with Clasp, 'VIETNAM 1975', and the Returned from Active Service Badge.
25 August 2003: The Nominal Roll of Vietnam Veterans was extended to 29 April 1975, to embrace the full period of warlike service, and include all ADF personnel who served in Vietnam during the War.   The updated Nominal Roll refers to the RAAF's 1975 activities, in both the 'History' and 'Time Frame' chapters, as 'the final involvement of Australian military in the Vietnam War'.
Department of Veterans' Affairs 'Annual Report 2006-2007' also included an article on page 142, under the banner, 'Did You Know?   That the Australian defence force's final operation of the Vietnam War occurred on Anzac Day 1975?'
Vietnam was the first guerrilla/insurgency type war.   The enemy was not clearly identifiable, and there were no 'front-lines' from which to withdraw, to rest, relax and feel safe: there was no safe place.   Anyone who was there knows it did not matter where you were, or what job you did; to be in Vietnam meant you were a part of the war.
The month prior to the fall of Saigon was one of the most chaotic, unpredictable and dangerous periods of the entire conflict.   Communist infiltrators were already in Saigon, and North Vietnamese forces had battled their way to the city's outskirts.   During that time, the RAAF was very fortunate not to have suffered casualties, but if there had been casualties, would they have been accepted as casualties of the Vietnam War?   Would the RAAF service have been fully and properly recognized then?
The 1968 Royal Warrant governing award of the Vietnam Medal states: 'for recognition of the service of members of the Australian Armed Forces and by duly accredited members of approved philanthropic organisations serving with these forces in assisting the forces of the Republic of Vietnam to repel aggression'.
Notwithstanding Australian political sensitivities, the RAAF's deployment to Vietnam in 1975 was a direct result of North Vietnamese aggression.   Operations from Saigon solely supported the Republic of Vietnam and helped relieve South Vietnamese Air Force commitments. They released RVAF transport capability to concentrate efforts on their own desperate military operations, and in so doing, indirectly, but effectively, 'assisted the forces of the Republic of Vietnam to repel aggression'.   Consequently, the RAAF mission fulfilled that requirement of the Royal Warrant.

Other Considerations
Sadly, the United States did lose a number of military personnel during those final weeks.    In 2002 the US government officially recognised the evacuation of Saigon as the final campaign of the Vietnam War and extended eligibility for their Vietnam Service Medal and applicable Campaign Star to all USMC, USAF and US Navy personnel involved.
The USA, a signatory to the Paris Peace Accords, fully accepted failure of the Accords, and acknowledged that war continued.
Of course, Australia does not rely on the US for guidance in respect of honours and awards, however, precedence was set in 2000, when US policy resulted in RAAF medivac nurses having their Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal upgraded to the Vietnam Medal.
Below is transcribed from the summary of the 'Review of Service Entitlement Anomalies in Respect of South-East Asian Service 1955-75':-
"AERO MEDICAL EVACUATION FLIGHTS
The Anomaly
The USAF categorises AME services as combat or direct support combat services.   For their service with the USAF 902 and 903 AME Units, RAAF Nurses were awarded the Vietnam Medal, AASM with Clasp 'Vietnam' and full repatriation benefits. Conversely nurses who served only in the Australian 'circuit' have received the VLSM as opposed to the VM plus the AASM, RASB and full repatriation benefits.   They claim the VM as proper recognition for their service.
Recommendation
It is recommended that all RAAF Nurses who served in AME Teams be awarded the Vietnam Medal."
The Vietnam Medal - Anomalies
There are four anomalies surrounding end-date for the Vietnam Medal.
1.Australia's combat period ended on 11 January 1973, but end-date for the Vietnam Medal is 27 January 1973.

2.All parties who signed the Paris Peace Accords, on 27 Jan 73, accept the Accords failed to bring peace to Vietnam, and now acknowledge 30 April 1975 as end of the Vietnam War.

3.Warlike service in Vietnam was extended from 11 January 1973, to 29 April 1975.

4.End of eligibility for the Vietnam Medal already extends beyond Australia's combat period, but not to the end of warlike service -and the true end of the War.
Recommendation
To complete recognition of RAAF service during final phase of the Vietnam War, my recommendation is to extend end-date for the Vietnam Medal to align with the end of warlike service in Vietnam.
RAAF personnel who participated in the 1975 evacuation of Saigon have been forced to struggle over many years to achieve full and proper recognition.   Entitlement to the Vietnam Medal would finally bring closure.
Yours sincerely,
Geoff Rose
Former RAAF Officer

Attachments
1.Description of the Vietnam Medal, from 'IT'S AN HONOUR' website.
2.Press Release from Embassy of the Republic of Vietnam, dated 22 March, 1975
3.Paragraph 2.7, page 15 of the 1976 Report from the Senate Standing Committee
4.'Confidential' Cablegram to Australian Embassy Saigon, dated 11 April, 1975
5.Page 142 from Department of Veterans' Affairs 'Annual Report 2006-2007'

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Hello to you n yours in the Bunker,

The Moriti item came out good..Thanks when I was with 5 AIrfield Contruction (at Amberley) we have members who were there.
Just read the item by SqizzyTaylor in the Apr issue...have you got an e mail address for him???

Thanks Pauline John Hams Cameron

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The item from Squizzy in the April edition was interesting.

Arrr ...Memories and good ones.

Most of those 'oldies' and many more then mentioned in his item were know to my lot from Recruit Training 1960 (Rathmines) where even I got the impression none of the Instructors hit the books prior to any lecture. Must have been a little hard on those who were Corporals as there was no Corporals Club. My second day at Rathmines (from a 3 to 4 day train trip from Perth ) I was introduced to the drink of the day (Rum and Coke) and a late night Chook Raffle run by Cpl DI's Leo Callaghan (ex POW) and Cpl Bruce Mayne (new boy but knew where the strength was). They had been in Town, and came back with a chook Raffle idea which we were very much encourage to spend up big on. The winner ( 1 of) was announced ...Leo pulls in a hessian bag from the corridore which contained 1 x CHOOK... very much alive...he throws it at the winner... and...??? No one complained.
and nothing mentioned on next days Lessons.
Anyhow...
Met Brian Taylor at Base Squadron Richmond in (about) 1965.
Cliff Buckley I (John Cameron) Barry Wanstell and John (??? he the joined the Police Force from BS Defence Richmond and later was Police Const in the Richmond/Windsor area. And was convinced of our joint warning that we had put trip wires and traps down the church at his wedding)..anyhow we were the CPL DI Junior members .It was a big Defence Section with about 6 DI's/ADI's and 2 Defence Officers. That role also covered was O/ic Fire Section as well and at times connected to Physical Training and BS Armoury. Our roles at the time were in order of importance:
Continuation Training ...with the 25yard Range being on the Base and the Open Range at Prospect about an hour truck ride away. WE drove the trucks, ran the Range and cooked the BBQ. To get people interested we ran a BBQ at each of the 3 or 4 days a week range practice. That seemed to work, as Squizzy states in his item no one saw anything we did as worthy of interest. And getting people off work from their Section Commanders required a lot of sucking up all around.
Weekend Warrior Training.. This covered (kind of) RTU subjects.
All Ranks Survival Training for 35/38 Squadron: This was our saviour from a preety hum drum predictable workplace. From memory it was about 3 days at the BSRIC Base and 3 camping in the Ravines of the Blue Mountains. Great training areas with Jungle and open savanna ,leeches,Ticks, snakes etc etc. We did night and tracer firing, explosives, grenade (Mills Bomb) throwing (practice fused) Radio procedure Booby Traps (Squizzy featured here blasting all the skin off his hand setting one up and scalding himself doing a demo on Tea Billy Swinging ( he hit the Branch of the tree above him) anyhow I digress...tactics, Patrolling ,Resupply Air Drops (at times) and basic bush folk lore completed the 'show'. In the main (not all) they enjoyed the experience and we as DI's ADI's were actually seen as knowing what we were talking about. And, I believe this whole programme benefited the Squadron by All Ranks working together.
Ronnie RAAF of course had a plan didn't he??? The graduates later were pushed off to be the first to SVN along with one ADI John Cameron c/w WWII Tin Hat (left at BSRIC) WWII Water Bottle with no cork (left at BSRIC) and Australian Money to travel with (not thrown away but usless as a currency). I make a Note here that one SNCO ADI from BSBUT held the fort for a little while till we arrived.(just for the record).
Following SVN replacement personnell all came from BSRIC e.g. Buckley, Wanstell Squizzy etc. Exception and almost forgot ..Bob Mathews ADI came from Victoria to join me.
SO Ronnie RAAF did have a plan hey??

Drill and Protestor involvement. We did all of the training for big parades of which there seemed to be a regeneration of Command interest in public parades, there were a lot of parades in those days. One of my annual reports had the new Section Commanders comments.. CPL Cameron is on so many parades that I really am unable to comment on his performance..thanks for nothing I say. Drill was not easy we had to convince people that time in meant more time out as not many wanted to be there and most hadn't been on a Parade Ground for years. Worst still SNCO's and Officers in some executive Parade position never had much of a clue but over time we noticed a little spark of pride kicking in when only 'Cpl Jones' hit his foot down or rifle butt after everyone else. Another saviour was TV..when after a Sydney parade the troops /families saw what they or Dad could do. I noticed big improvements and even vounteers for next parades.
There was no doubt that RAAF in BLUE with white webbing got 100% for looks.
Getting people assigned to drill was a problem, previously we had many many requests from troops and Section Commanders to get their troops out of drill. It was a bit like the excuses when called up for Jury Duty.
Anti SVN War protests. We were involved in some way with the actions in place when the Base was subjected to protest groups/rallies around the perimiter. The organisers of the protests tried stealth to arrive at the base but were unaware supporters would tip us off. Who..Charter Bus Companies, railway for example etc etc.
For the record we ex Richmond people in SVN got a lot of grief from these people who somewhere had a mole who knew where we were. As a result the odd letter of abuse (correctly addressed), Retail outlets wanting to know are we going to take a particular offer up or debt from identity theft were not uncommon. Like Piaf..I dont forget.

Relacement for Defence Pearce. For a number of years one SNCO from BS Defence Richmond went to Pearce to cover Holidays there. First it was F/SGT Jimmy Alan he came back and died. Then Sgt Granny Aikins..he came back and died. We had a few West Australians in the section after that who was not putting their hand up.

SUMMARY BS Richmond. RAAF pay was not sufficient and we all had second jobs either Lawn Mowing rounds, the PTI was on the early morning Dunny Can run, others Pumping Petrol others working at the Riverston Meat works. Whilst the RAAF did not condone this they were moved to put into a Base Order that we were not allowed to wear our overalls on these tasks. No one ever came to us (RAAF personnel at Richmond) to say were were not allowed to work a second job. Thanks for that.
SQUIZZY Taylor however had the game sewn up. A quick order for W139-234 got us Packing Case Paint which was used in the Section but Squizz would dip a brush in mix in some colours and paint a picture on an old bit of 3ply or Burnieboard and flog them off at the SGTS Mess Pay Day. And he got good money for them..oh well.

Thats the end of my ramblings but it was a great time.
John TR Cameron (JC)
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