Men of B Company, 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment return from patrol in Bien Hoa province, an area lying to the east of Saigon.
Wearing a soft jungle "boonie" hat and with belts of ammunition slung over his shoulders, an Australian infantryman strides forward clutching a 7.62mm machine gun.
The Royal Australian regiment, whose badge is shown here, fought with distinction in Vietnam from 1965 to 1972.
As a helicopter descends to drop off more troops, a member of the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, takes cover in the LZ's elephant grass on May 23, 1966. The Australians were taking part in
Operation Pin Feather in the Vung Tau Peninsula. It was the battalion's first operation since setting up base near Vung Tau, 45 miles southeast of Saigon.
Insignia of the Australian Special Air Service
Lieutenant David Sabben surveys the rubber plantation which was the scene of bitter fighting during the battle of Long Tan, a day after the action.
Branches and twigs, shot off the trees during the battle, are strewn on the ground. In the background is a VC7.62mm machine gun.
A soldier of 5RAR, armed with an Owen submachine gun, watches Long Tan village burn.
Soldiers of the Royal Australian Regiment enter a village, looking for indications of Communist activity during an operation west of Nui Dat.
An Australian 105mm howitzer fires from Nui Dat in support of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. During the battle of Long Tan, it was sustained and acurate artillery fire that helped to prevent the VC from
overrunning members of D Company, 6RAR.
A patrol from the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, makes its way through elephant grass toward a rubber plantation near Ba Ria, southwest of the Australian base at Nui Dat. Aggressive Australian patrolling helped to
disrupt the VC infrastructure in Phuoc Tuy province.
Australian soldiers try to win the allegiance of a local farmer.
"Aggressiveness, quick reaction, good use of firepower, and old-fashioned Australian courage have
produced outstanding results."--General William C. Westmoreland, August 19, 1966
