Vietnam Veterans Day falls on the 18 August, which is the anniversary of Australia's Battle of Long Tan that took place on August 18 1966 in a rubber plantation in Phouc Tuy Province South Vietnam. Eighteen young Australians were killed as they held fast against a large enemy force. Had they not done so Australia would have suffered many casualties.
This year we are having two special guests attending our commemoration ceremony at Kyneton in the Victorian Central Highlands. One is former 2nd Lieutenant David Sabben who was the platoon commander of 12 Platoon 'D' Company 6 Royal Australian Regiment. Dave is our guest speaker at the commemoration service.
Our second special guest is former RAAF fighter pilot Garry Gordon Cooper DFC. Garry was a forward air controller who was seconded to the USAF and flew small Cessna 0-1E aircraft known as Bird Dogs. The one he flew now hangs in the Pensacola Navy Museum in Florida. Garry was in South Vietnam in 1968 and he will speak about his experiences of the war. Australia provided 36 pilots who were forward air controllers during the Vietnam War, Australia's longest.
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