Minister visits Army advisers DPR/TV/413

Army Minister, Mr Malcolm Fraser, during his visit to Vietnam inspected elements of the Australian Training Team at Da Nang. He arrived at Da Nang by Caribou aircraft and at the Vietnamese headquarters, took the salute as the local Vietnamese regimental colours were dipped in his honour. After conferring with the Vietnamese commanding officer, General Hoang Xuan Lam the Minister boarded a Chinook helicopter. Following a briefing with United States senior officers, Mr Fraser visited Australian Army Advisers at their centre in suburban Da Nang. At the centre, he met some of the Warrant-Officers who are advising Regional and Popular forces in the area. The Minister met Warrant-Officers Noel Stockwell, of Puckapunyal, Victoria, Laurie Morrison, of Blacktown NSW and Tom Dolan of Fairfield, NSW. Not Far from Da Nang, Mr Fraser saw loyal Montagnard tribesmen being trained by Australian Army advisers. After talking to the senior officer, Captain Vin Murphy of Perth, Western Australia, the Minister tried his hand with an M79 grenade launcher before flying back to Saigon.