Largets Joint force Australia could use in Vietnam?

Our only real Joint effort in Vietnam was 9 sqn RAAF Hueys supporting the Army. Given the Army effort was about the largest we could sustain how could the Australian forces have more joint efforts rather than slotting into higher US formations and doing US things?

My first thought is the 8 Canberras of 2 sqn which flew 8 missions per day every day they were at war. Could these missions have been used by the Army battalions in Phoc Tuy, by the SAS to provide strikes for their recon and maybe by the AATTV if they needed it rather than being swallowed by the USAF TFW they were part of? Perhaps the RAAF/Army could form up a sall FAC unit to keep these Canberras busy in Phoc Tuy under the command of the Task Force.
 
IIRC, the Australians were also involved in Malaysia at the same time. Perhaps a larger British presence there would translate to a larger Australian presence in Vietnam.
 
The Army was maxed out from 1966 with 1 btn in Malaysia and 2 btns in Vietnam, and from 1967 with 3 btns in Vietnam.

What I'm interested in is that we had a bomber sqn in Vietnam, but our Army got it's air support from the USAF. Similarly we had a destroyer in Vietnam but got much of our naval support from the USN. Could the Task Force Commander have control of these assets, was there enough work in Phoc Tuy to occupy the efforts of 2sqn and it's 8 bombing missions per day for 3 1/2 years? Was there enough work in Phoc Tuy to occupy a frigate or destroyer, maybe in concert with a Neptune or Orion detachment on market Time and shore bombardment duties? The RAAF and RAN units are there, I just wonder if they could be integrated with the Task Force and maybe AATTV.
 
Oh. I admit I don't know as much about the subjects as I'd like. I'm still waiting on a comprehensive account of South Korea's involvement in Vietnam.:p
 
Something to consider is that we still controlled the Pacific Island Regiment at this time, perhaps deploying a company of them with the Australian deployments may assist?
 
I don't think infantry numbers is the problem, or too much of a problem, putting in a PIR coy like we we did with the RNZIR to make ANZAC Btns will help our infantry recruitment a bit.

What I see the issue as is that the RAAF and RAN were under-involved and what involvement they did have didn't help the Army. However there might not be enough tasks to warrant allocation of a destroyer or frigate to the Phoc Tuy and nieghbouring coastline but there might be enough justification to allocate a flight of Gannets/Trackers and patrol boats. I think there might be justification for a bomber sqn to the direct command of the Task Force, but maybe not the Sabres moving in from Thailand.

What I have in mind is that in 1966 Britain withdrew from east of Suez and in 1969 Nixon announced the Guam doctrine. This meant Australia could no longer just slot in forces to a larger structure, we had to develop our own Joint commands and doctrines. I think this would be an easier transition if we were already fighting a joint fight in Vietnam with our bomber aircraft and navy ships directly supporting our Brigade group.
 
If you want a larger RAN involvement, will require a decrease in tension with Indonesia relative to Konfrontasi. Once this concludes several RAN Ton class minesweepers could be deployed in a boarding capacity off the coastline. If you want anything larger than that would require a different AO. Alternatively have the RAN helicopter detachment be sent further south to Phuoc Tuy, perhaps Neptunes for maritime patrols?
 
Public opinion was for the war until about 1969, we were about a year behind US public opinion but we were fighting for different reasons.

The RAN helicopter crews embedded with the US is a case in point. They are a drop in the ocean in the US, despite their superior skills making them leaders within that particular unit. But added to 9 sqn RAAF they could have operated a couple of extra helicopters for our brigade. Alternatively the RAN FAA could have operated a flight of Gannets or Trackers to patrol the Phoc Tuy coastline in direct support of Australia's AO.
 
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