Vietnam Kiowas DPR/TV/1475

Remaining elements of the Australian Army's 161 Independent Reconnaissance Flight left South Vietnam today. Most members of the Flight, which had been on active service since 1965, returned home last December. 1202197 Lieutenant Thomas Seth (Tom) Triplett of Wynnum, Qld, made one of the last airborne patrols in Vietnam - in a Kiowa helicopter. The Kiowa, and other aircraft of the Australian Army Flight, were used on a wide variety of tasks - from liaison with far flung Australian Advisors to night and day hunts for the enemy. The pilots swept with apparent ease the treacherous expanses of mountain, sea and jungle. Their Kiowas last year replaced the Sioux - first helicopters used by Australian Army flyers. The Kiowas are taking the place of the Sioux in Australia, also. Down below - an enemy bunker system. Many aircraft of 161 Flight had seemingly miraculous escapes in action. In one incident, a helicopter was hit by 13 rounds from an automatic weapon, but was still able to fly to safety. However, six of the Flight's aircraft were destroyed by enemy fire. The Flight's pilots flew up to 120-hours a month over Phuoc Tuy Province, helping provide security for the jungle bound troops below.