| Accession Number | AWM2019.753.11 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: 1 cm; Wallet/s: 1; Oversize: 1 |
| Object type | Certificate, Souvenir |
| Maker |
Australian Government Republic of Vietnam |
| Place made | Australia, Vietnam |
| Date made | 1969-1970 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Vietnam, 1962-1975 |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright expired. Copying permitted subject to physical condition. Permission for reproduction not required. |
Supple, Thomas Francis (Lieutenant, b.1947)
Description
Collection relating to the Vietnam War service of O2677 Lieutenant Thomas Francis Supple DSC, Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam, 1968-1969.
Wallet 1 of 1 – Wallet consists of two invitation cards for Lieutenant Thomas Francis Supple and his wife to attend an investiture at Government House to receive his Distinguished Service Cross on 1 May 1970; and an official letter of citation.
Oversize folder 1 of 1 - contains an award certificate, written in Vietnamese, relating to Supple’s Cross of Gallantry.
History / Summary
Thomas Francis Supple joined the Royal Australian Navy as a midshipman in March 1966. During an exchange with the United States Navy, he qualified as a helicopter pilot and naval aviator and, following conversion training on the Iroquois helicopter, was deployed as a pilot with the second contingent of the RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam in September 1968. The RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam formed part of the Experimental Military Unit under the United States Army's 135th Assault Helicopter Company and primarily operated in support of ground operations conducted by the United States Army and the Army of the Republic of (South) Vietnam. Supple frequently flew on operations and was subject to heavy enemy ground fire during his 13-month deployment. He was second pilot on a troopship helicopter shot down on 23 October 1968 and again on a gunship helicopter forced down on 2 February 1969, when his first pilot was shot through the arm. For his aggressive leadership and skill on operations, Supple was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the United States Air Medal, and a Cross of Gallantry with silver star and bronze star by the Republic of (South) Vietnam. His DSC was one of only nine awarded to RAN personnel during the Vietnam War, eight of which went to aviators in the RAN Helicopter Flight.