The deployment of 1ATF to Nui Dat in Vung Tau province was a real affair.
QANTAS, RAAF Hercules, 2 ships from the Army Small Ships Squadron and the Fast Troop Transport (ex-carrier) HMAS Sydney(escorted by the carrier HMAS Melbourne and a couple of escorts) started moving 5th Battalion Royal Australia Regiment (5RAR) from Australia 19-22 April 1966, the Sydney arriving at Vung Tau on 4 May. 5RAR assembled in Vung Tau to acclimatise in country.
On 17 May the US 173rd Airborne Bde which included 1 RAR Btn Group conducted an operation in the Nui Dat area, linking up with 5RAR moving inland from the coast. Together the 4 battalions cleared a perimeter out to 4000 metres from Nui Dat hill, all under the command of the 173rd. On 1 June 1 and 5 RAR came under the command of 1 ATF, I assume the 173rd btns went back to their usual base at Bien Hoa leaving 1RAR at Nui Dat.
Meanwhile on 23 May an advance party from 6RAR arrived at Bien Hoa to pick up all 1RARs gear (not that it was much good, worn out from a year of war) while Sydney arrived with 9sqn RAAF UH1 helicopters on 6 June. The main body of 6RAR arrived in Vung Tau by air by 9 June and changed over with 1RAR returning to Australia. 6RAR was fully deployed in Nui Dat by 9 June 1966.
Hardihood was over by June 6 but a mere 6 weeks later on August 18 108 men of D coy 6 RAR was contacted in the Long Tan rubber plantation by a powerful force made up of the VC 275 Regt and D445 provincial mobile battalion with about 1500-2500 men. This was a major surprise as it was unexpected to have such a large force within mortar and recoilless rifle range of Nui Dat. The battle was fought and won by D coy with regimental artillery fire missions from Nui Dat and reinforcements from charging APCs carrying B coy 6 RAR.
Interestingly a lot of stuff in Australia's force structure wasn't included, the Melbourne never entered the 'Market Time' naval AO for example.
QANTAS, RAAF Hercules, 2 ships from the Army Small Ships Squadron and the Fast Troop Transport (ex-carrier) HMAS Sydney(escorted by the carrier HMAS Melbourne and a couple of escorts) started moving 5th Battalion Royal Australia Regiment (5RAR) from Australia 19-22 April 1966, the Sydney arriving at Vung Tau on 4 May. 5RAR assembled in Vung Tau to acclimatise in country.
On 17 May the US 173rd Airborne Bde which included 1 RAR Btn Group conducted an operation in the Nui Dat area, linking up with 5RAR moving inland from the coast. Together the 4 battalions cleared a perimeter out to 4000 metres from Nui Dat hill, all under the command of the 173rd. On 1 June 1 and 5 RAR came under the command of 1 ATF, I assume the 173rd btns went back to their usual base at Bien Hoa leaving 1RAR at Nui Dat.
Meanwhile on 23 May an advance party from 6RAR arrived at Bien Hoa to pick up all 1RARs gear (not that it was much good, worn out from a year of war) while Sydney arrived with 9sqn RAAF UH1 helicopters on 6 June. The main body of 6RAR arrived in Vung Tau by air by 9 June and changed over with 1RAR returning to Australia. 6RAR was fully deployed in Nui Dat by 9 June 1966.
Hardihood was over by June 6 but a mere 6 weeks later on August 18 108 men of D coy 6 RAR was contacted in the Long Tan rubber plantation by a powerful force made up of the VC 275 Regt and D445 provincial mobile battalion with about 1500-2500 men. This was a major surprise as it was unexpected to have such a large force within mortar and recoilless rifle range of Nui Dat. The battle was fought and won by D coy with regimental artillery fire missions from Nui Dat and reinforcements from charging APCs carrying B coy 6 RAR.
Interestingly a lot of stuff in Australia's force structure wasn't included, the Melbourne never entered the 'Market Time' naval AO for example.