VIETNAM
JOB
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WAS TO SEARCH AND DESTROY
Soldiers were paid $76 a fortnight
Soldiers never wore helmets as they were noisy, heavy and very hot
They wore ‘giggle’ hats instead as they were lightweight and more practical In 1926 they sent 30 advisors to train the South Vietnam Army.
They were the most highly decorated unit, with 4 VC’s awarded
Had 1,100 soldiers (700 were support soldiers & 400 were full fighting soldiers) For every 1 bush soldier, there were 9 support soldiers
In 1968, there were 8,300 Australian troops
Americans total contribution was 3.2 million troops~ with 60,000 losses Australia's total contribution was 60,000 troops~ with 520 personnel and 8 sullivan losses
America contributed thousands of Huey Helicopters
Australia contributed 16 Huey helicopters (but came home with 17, traded for a slab of VB)

NIGHT HARBOUR
● Made a circle
● Heavy weapons would go on the outside and the units would split in 3
● For 2 hours, first group will eat & sleep, second group will clean
(themselves and weapons), third group will man guns. Then they rotate ● Americans landed a huey copter in the middle of the harbour and gave away their position
● Then they brought out massive containers with hot food
● Australia asked for their own area of operations in South Vietnam as they didn’t like the way the Americans operated
● Called the base nui dat (small hill), this base was owned by enemy between 1962-65

BATTLE OF LONG TAN
● Still building nui dat at this point
● 17 August 1966, North Vietnamese army rocketed the base (no casualties although many were injured)
● Australia DID NOT retaliate
● Next day small patrols were sent out to locate where the rockets were launched. ● At 1:00pm B Company located some places and were laid off
● That same day D Company located 30