Vietnam Veterans' Day 2025

Have you visited us yet? Fridays from 5 pm at Tanunda Recreation Park. Visitors including supervised children are welcome. 

Every year on 18 August we commemorate Vietnam Veterans' Day. It falls on the day of one of our most significant battles, the Battle of Long Tan. On that day, 18 brave men sacrificed their lives to protect our freedoms and democracy. Many more were injured and had their lives changed forever.

"Our Vietnam" an Exciting New Publication in time for Vietnam Veterans' Day

Have you visited us yet? Fridays from 5 pm at Tanunda Recreation Park. Visitors are welcome.

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The author Guy Hall wrote to our sub-branch about this new publication that is timely for Vietnam Veterans' Day:

"I am a serving member of the ADF and the son of a Vietnam veteran. In 1999, as the child of a veteran of that long and difficult war, I published a short memoir of my experiences, titled Our Vietnam. 

I have now independently re-published that small (70-page) book as part of my One Night Read collection. This time, I am proud to say that I am doing so in collaboration with my own adult children. The official launch of the book will be conducted at the Norfolk Island RSL sub-branch on the 20th August 2025, the week of Vietnam Veterans Day. 

Through my words and my daughter’s moving illustrations, I hope to give a new generation of readers an insight into the impact the Vietnam War had on families and the veterans who returned home.

In doing so, I also hope to inspire a wider audience to reflect upon the consequences of war, any war. 

With Vietnam Veterans Day approaching, I hope that my little book might be of interest to your members and their families. I have attached a flyer about the book, including links to our Tiny Fish Publishing website, where your members can select their retailer of choice for purchasing the book online. (https://tinyfishpublishing.com/)"

Australians in the Korean War

Have you visited us yet? Fridays from 5 pm at Tanunda Recreation Park. Visitors are welcome.

Today is Korean Veterans Day, a day to remember our veterans. This article by Karla Rey tells their story:

Five years after the end of the Second World War, Australians from across the services became involved in the Korean War.

The conflict was a bloody theatre in the early stages of the Cold War, officially taking place between 1950-1953. The conflict came to an uneasy end when an armistice was signed on the 27th of July, 1953, keeping the Korean Peninsula divided along the 38th parallel.

Beginning in the early hours of the 25th of June 1950, this intense and devastating three-year conflict began as the Korean People’s Army (KPA) launched a massive offensive into South Korea along the 38th Parallel.

General Van Fleet, General Officer Commanding, 8th US Army (far left) inspects members of the 3rd Battalion (3RAR), when bestowing the Presidential citation in recognition of the Unit’s action at Kapyong, Korea. Image: Australian War Memorial

Australia became the second country to commit personnel from across the services to the war as part of the 930,000-strong United Nations Force that was raised to repel the North Korean, Soviet, and Chinese aggression in the South of the Peninsula. More than 17,000 Australians from all three services were sent to Korea, where 340 were killed and over 1,216 wounded. 29 Australians became prisoners of war during the period.

As part of the commitment to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, Australia had two deployable Royal Australian Navy vessels, HMAS Shoalhaven and HMAS Bataan, along with No.77 Squadron RAAF ready to be committed. The RAN assets were committed on June 28th by Prime Minister Robert Menzies, and No.77 Squadron was also committed several days later. By July 26, 3RAR was committed to ground operations.

Australians were involved in decisive moments during the conflict, including at Kapyong, where 3RAR and other Commonwealth units halted the advance of Chinese forces towards the southern capital of Seoul. For the collective heroism displayed during this action, the Battalion was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation.

Australia’s reputation for patrolling and raising, previously established during the First and Second World Wars, was furthered by the efforts of the men of 1RAR, 3RAR, and later 2RAR, who quickly established themselves as a formidable force during the middle stages of the war in 1952 and through to the later stages in 1953.