John Alan Paule as Wing Commander 9 Squadron RAAF interviewed by Greg Swanborough for 'The sharp end'

Roll 11. Scene 16 Take 1 Medical evacuations known as Dust offs not the usual 9 Squadron job; no more difficult than any other job; aircrew could not look after wounded as could the regular Dust off helicopters and crew; the effect of seeing wounded including the enemy; remembers most about being in Vietnam was the absolute authority he had - nobody looking over his shoulder being in complete control; every day taken as one day at a time; pleased to have the experience of being a Commanding Officer of a flying unit but pleased to get home unscathed; ; the most dangerous activity was the insertion and extraction of Special Air Service (SAS) patrols some times under fire; thoughts on his expectations of going to Vietnam was that he was surprised that he was not briefed before he went and had to learn as he went along; when he came home he also wasn’t debriefed; the RAAF was relatively new to helicopters and had only 6 to 7 years experience in helicopters before Vietnam; the problems of flying helicopters; Take 2. personal experience of being bitten by a mosquito and infected with encephalitis; medical facilities in Vietnam were excellent; the ‘RTA bug” - return to Australia bug and the different methods the number of days to go home; at his home coming crowds cheered at the airport when he returned from Vietnam.