Elisabeth Champion and Aidan Curtis
Vietnam veterans, their families and locals gathered at the Mount Gambier War Memorial recently to honour those that lost their lives in the Vietnam War,
Held on Vietnam Veterans Day the moving service paid tribute to all those that fought in the war, and honoured those that were killed in the conflict.
RSL President Bob Sandow opened the proceedings.
“We need to pay homage today to Long Tan. Obviously, that was a great battle one afternoon and a night, supported by a couple of boys flying overhead with a helicopter dropping ammunition,“ he said.
“They were told not to go but they thought they’d better go and do what was required.
“Also to the New Zealand Army that was dropping the shots five kilometres away, which was the ideal length for the for the gunner they we’re using. And if you know the history of Long Tan, the boys were calling those shots in within about 30 metres of themselves.
“But just remember that Long Tan was one afternoon in a 10 year war – if they hadn’t done their duty that day, who knows what would have happened to the base?
He said three Limestone Coast locals were killed in action.
“At the height of our war, we had 8500 people of our Defence Force serving, and let’s not forget the nurses that were there also that almost got forgotten – they were only remembered a number of years ago.
“Today, it’s not it’s not only the boys that came back, but 540 were killed in action.
“We’ve got three here on Memorial behind me – Private John Rogers, Private David Steen, and Lieutenant Anthony Casadio.
“Not everyone who lost their lives in Vietnam died there. And not everyone who came home from Vietnam ever left.“
Community members laid wreaths at the memorial, before The Last Post was played, followed by a minutes silence.
