Fire Support Base Dyke DPR/TV/883

Australian and New Zealand troops of 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, and members of the 104th Field Battery recently completed operations at Fire Support Base (FSB) Dyke in the north west corner of the Australian tactical area of responsibility in South Vietnam. The evacuation of the Support Base marked the end of Operation 'Merino', a reconnaissance-in-force in Bien Hoa Province. During the operation the troops of the Anzac Battalion killed eight Viet Cong and took one prisoner. They captured dozens of weapons, ammunition, clothing, military equipment and rice as well as locating and destroying bunkers in several enemy base camps. When FSB Dyke was abandoned the troops were flown by helicopter back to the Australian Task Force Base at Nui Dat. They had spent just over a month on operations in Bien Hoa. The troops move back to the Task Force Base completed the consolidation of the Task Force's three infantry battalions and supporting units back in Phuoc Tuy Province. United States Chinook helicopters were used to airlift the heavy equipment. The 105mm field guns of the 104th Field Battery were lifted in slings by the choppers. The 'choppers' made short work of the job of moving both the troops and equipment back to Nui Dat. After a month in the field, the troops were looking forward to returning to the Australian Task Force Base.