| Place | Asia: Vietnam, South Vietnam |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL27489.001 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Award |
| Physical description | Silver |
| Maker |
Royal Mint |
| Place made | United Kingdom |
| Date made | c 1969 |
| Conflict |
Vietnam, 1962-1975 |
Distinguished Flying Cross : Flight Lieutenant R J Thompson, 35 Squadron, RAAF
Description
Distinguished Flying Cross (EIIR). Engraved reverse lower arm with year of award.
History / Summary
0316968 Flight Lieutenant Reginald John (Tommy) Thompson (b.18 January 1925) served in the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1963 and was appointed to a short service commission in the RAAF as a Flight Lieutenant General Duties Pilot (GDPLT) on 6 December 1966. He served in Vietnam from March 1969 with No.35 Squadron, RAAF. He was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 9 October 1969. The citation for DFC reads 'In recognition of his courage and devotion to duty while serving as a squadron check captain during his operational tour of duty with No.35 Squadron in Vietnam'. Futher details are provided in 'Official History, The RAAF in Vietnam', p.123-124, which states '...on 19 January 1969, A4-208 had just landed at a small special forces camp at Katum, north-west of Saigon near the Cambodian border, and was taxiing to a parking slot to discharge its cargo when a mortar attack began. Three rounds landed close to the aircraft, the first one less than eight metres in front of the port wing. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant R. J. Thompson, recalled: "Two more followed in quick succession and then the rest. I didn't bother trying to count them but there were at least eight". The Caribou was peppered with shrapnel in the nose area and both panes of the windscreen were shattered. The two pilots were wounded: Thompson received two superficial lacerations from shrapnel to his right leg and his copilot, Flying Officer R. J. McGregor, suffered cuts to his face from flying glass. Recognising that his aircraft was a sitting target, Thompson elected to try taking off again...' eventually managing to make a landing at an emergency airstrip at Bien Hoa. The Caribou had been hit in 111 places by shrapnel from the mortar.
- Defence Medal : Flight Lieutenant R J Thompson, RAF
- British War Medal 1939-45 : Flight Lieutenant R J Thompson, RAAF
- Vietnam Medal : Flight Lieutenant R J Thompson, RAAF
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal : Flight Lieutenant R J Thompson, RAAF
- South Vietnam Government Medal : Flight Lieutenant R J Thompson, RAAF