| Accession Number | VN/66/0094/05 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Westbury, Gerald Wallace |
| Place made | Vietnam: Vung Tau Special Zone, Vung Tau |
| Date made | 6 November 1966 |
| Conflict |
Vietnam, 1962-1975 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Australian troops returning to the No 9 Squadron, RAAF, Iroquois helicopter A2-1024 after ...
Description
Australian troops returning to the No 9 Squadron, RAAF, Iroquois helicopter A2-1024 after completing a sweep of the island where Viet Cong (VC) had been spotted. The pilots were taking part in Operation 'Hayman' on an island just north of Vung Tau, which the Viet Cong (VC) have been using as a supply link for their troops in Phuoc Tuy Province. The No 9 Squadron helicopters were under the personal direction of O33113 Group Captain (Gp Capt) Peter Frank Raw, of Ipswich, Qld. On the first day of the operation Australian soldiers observed VC leaving the island in a sampan and disappearing around the bend of a tidal creek. No 9 Squadron door gunners opened fire killing three VC and the remaining VC surrendered. On one of the boats was a Chinese Communist light machine gun. The helicopters were operating out of a small landing pad on the island code named 'Alvin'.