Informal portrait of 2026 Lieutenant (Lt) Ian Maxwell (Max) Speedy, Pilot and Second in Charge, ...

Informal portrait of 2026 Lieutenant (Lt) Ian Maxwell (Max) Speedy, Pilot and Second in Charge, 2nd Contingent, RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam (RANHFV), standing outside an office, probably at Bearcat Base, prior to a day’s flying as Command and Control pilot . As Operations Officer, Experimental Military Unit 3 (EMU 3) of the135th Assault Helicopter Company (135th AHC), United States Army, Lt Speedy is tasked with directing the Company’s operations in coordination with the 'back seat' battalion commander of the 7th Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam (7th ARVN). The Vietnamese troops are being flown in Iroquois helicopters to and from the various landing zones (LZ). RANHFV is serving with the 135th AHC. Due to its integrated nature, the unit is designated an ‘experimental military unit', with the nickname EMU. Based originally at Vung Tau Air Base, the company moved to Fire Support Base Black Horse near Xuan Loc in December 1967. In November 1968 the unit was moved to Bearcat Base, north east of Saigon. Throughout their service in Vietnam members of RANHFV provided tactical airlift and gunship support for Australian and allied ground forces.