Vietnamese President visits Nui Dat DPR/TV/763

A warm, sunny day greeted Vietnamese President Theiu when he made a delayed Christmas call on the 1st Australian Task Force based at Nui Dat. The President was scheduled to visit Nui Dat before Christmas but postponed the visit to attend a memorial service for late Prime Minister Harold Holt in Australia. President Theiu's arrival at the Australian Task Force was accompanied by two Huey Crobra gunships and preceded by three helicopters filled with press men and security guards. A smoke grenade guided the President's helicopter to Kangaroo helipad where he was met by the Commander of the Task Force, Brigadier Ron Hughes of Stafford Heights, Brisbane, Qld. At Task Force Headquarters, President Theiu was given a royal salute by an Honour Guard comprising troops of the newly arrived 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment. After a quick inspection of the Guard, President Thieu accompanied Brigadier Hughes and the Commander of the Australian Force in Vietnam, Major General Douglas Vincent of Canberra, ACT, to Brigadier Hughes' quarters for a briefing on the activities of Australian troops in Phuoc Tuy Province. With the briefing completed, the visitors had morning tea in the Officers' Mess where the President presented Christmas gifts to senior officers of the Task Force. In a short address before the presentations, President Thieu said he was aware of what the Australians had achieved in Phuoc Tuy Province and thanked them for their efforts. He then left the Task Force area to visit other Free World Force troops deployed in the Mekong Delta. (Also identified: Staff Sergeant Allan "Sos" Hughes of Muswellbrook, NSW; Guard Commander, Major Peter Phillips of Adelaide, SA)