War heros Ignored by Their Own Government!

War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid

Message

IronBear -> War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 11:47:44 AM)
I was recently at a memorial service for those Vietnam Vets (Australian) who fought at Long Tan. It was the 40th aniversery of that battle. What is disgusting is that the Australian Company who fought therewere awarded a US Presidential Citation for their action and yet the Australian Government has done nothing and to make matters worse have down graded the decorations won there "The Australians consolidated their position for the night and then commenced evacuation of their wounded using the lights from APCs to guide in helicopters. During the night the Viet Cong cleared many of their wounded and dead from the battle field. A number of the wounded Australians lay there all through the long terrifying night, as the Viet Cong moved around them. Morning revealed that the Viet Cong force, estimated at 2,500, had been badly mauled. 245 Viet Cong bodies were found in the battle area. It was apparent that the Viet Cong commanders had failed to appreciate the effectiveness of artillery fire and had paid dearly as a result. *The Australians had lost 18 killed, 17 from D Company (including the young platoon commander of 11 platoon) and one from 1st APC Squadron, and 24 wounded."* http://www.anzacday.org.au/education/activities/longtan/longtan http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1717744.htm quote: PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION *D COMPANY 6 BATTALION R.A.R.* By virtue of the authority invested in me as the President of the United States and as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, I have today awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for extraordinary heroism to D Company, Sixth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, The Australian ArmyD Company distinguished itself by extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations against an opposing armed force in Vietnam on August 18,1966While searching for Viet Cong in a rubber plantation northeast of Ba Ria, Phouc Tuy, Province, Republic of Vietnam, D Company met and immediately engaged in heavy contact. As the battle developed,it became apparent that the men of D Company were facing a numerically superior force.The platoons of D Company were surrounded and attacked on all sides by an estimated reinforced enemy battalion using automatic weapons,small arms and mortars.Fighting courageously against a well armed and determined foe, the men on D Company maintained their formations in a common perimeter defence and inflicted heavy casualties on the Viet Cong.The enemy maintained a continuos, intense volume of fire and attacked repeatedly from all directions. Each successive assault was repulsed by the courageous Australians. Heavy rainfall and low ceiling prevented any friendly close air support during the battle. After three hours of savage attacks, having failed to penetrate the Australian lines, the enemy withdrew from the battlefield carrying many dead and wounded, and leaving 245 Viet Cong dead forward of the defence positions of D Company. The conspicuous courage, intrepidity and indomitable courage of D Company were to the highest tradition of military valor and reflect great credit upon D Company and the Australian Army http://www.hotkey.net.au/~marshalle/deco/deco.htm IB

popeye1250 -> RE: War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 12:04:22 PM)
Well that sucks! Someone should contact the representatives of the Australian government and "pitch a bitch!"

Mercnbeth -> RE: War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 12:04:54 PM)
IB - Do you think this is the result of anti-US sentiment, anti-war sentiment, or just wishing the whole Vietnam issues was a nightmare that should go away? On a lighter note: We really want to come visit you guys, hopefully next year. We had a question. Is it true that if I currently flog beth with a clockwise motion that I'll feel compelled to flog counter-clockwise when we scene in Australia?

NastyDaddy -> RE: War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 12:28:20 PM)
It's too bad a porn parade draws thousands of interested spectators, while lives lost and the bravery to ensure their freedom to appreciate porn goes un-noticed... or worse, becomes discounted after-the-fact by virtue of poltitcal wrangling.

KenDckey -> RE: War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 1:38:20 PM)
As a soldier I am appaled.

IronBear -> RE: War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 3:51:04 PM)
Yeah it sucks, the Government is too afraid of having to pay compensation for additional war injuries. They are tripple testing all 'Nam Vets claims for war pensions and additional costs from 'Nam where as in all other conflicts prior and since these benifits are granted. The Aussie troops who served in 'Nam came back to hostile crowds when they arrived and in one rather well documented case when they disembarked and marched home through Sydney, protesters through red paint over them with impunity. It took twenty years before they were even thanked by the Government for their service and officially welcomed home. At one stage the highest suicide rate in Australia where the Vietnam Vets.. Been down that track and know what it is like to go to bed with a loaded .44 mag pistol and placing the barrel in my mouth and having to decide if I wanted to face another day.. Some of the guys are still out in the cold but there are great Vet groups who look for them and try to bring them home and into the company of their mates.. IB G'day Merc, yep you may well feel the compulstion to flogg anticlockwise but id you use a roo hide flogger that will balance it out for you .... [:-]

popeye1250 -> RE: War heros Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 8:30:39 PM)
Whatever the Vets need the governments of Australia and the U.S. shouuld give them, period!

GMRTGS -> RE: War hero's Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 8:56:32 PM)
I could not agree more with this topic having served in the service. As a service connected disabled vet here in the States. I am still fighting for compensation due to injuries I received while serving in both the Rangers and in Special Forces for many years. I see constantly where vets are considered less then human by the public and goverment. I am not one to complain but the system now in place is designed to limit benefits to current soldiers on active duty and to those after Korea. The spineless politicians just give us lip service and then secretly cut funding. Most injuries other then actual combat wounds do not show up for many years after service has been rendered, even with documentation the system is stacked against you. I cannot imagine how bad it could be in down under. Vets just do what they have always done, stick together and try to help each other. One day maybe the politicians will have to duck and cover in a rice paddy or sand defending the rights of their countrymen.I apologies for the rant, just pisses me off to no end.Maybe, one day there will not be a need for soldiers. De Opresso Liber

CrappyDom -> RE: War hero's Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/23/2006 9:53:57 PM)
The Aussies were also some of the most effective at actually dealing with the guerillas and checking their efforts.

IronBear -> RE: War hero's Ignored by Their Own Government! (8/24/2006 12:53:00 AM)
The Aussies were also some of the most effective at actually dealing with the guerillas and checking their efforts. GMRTGS, I agree with you there, this mateship carried into my Merc teams later in the '70's after 'Nam. Men and women different nationalities, we stuck together in and out of combat. IB

Page: [1]

Collarchat.com © 2025

Terms of Service

0.015625