Garry Gleadhill: home movies HMAS Perth Vietnam 1971

The aircraft leaving USS Ranger were flying to Laos on bombing missions against the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). The footage was taken in early to mid March 1971. Movies of both carriers Ranger and Kitty Hawk were taken in Yankee station, the Gulf of Tonkin. The planes flew to Laos. The American DDG seen firing at targets ashore is USS Goldsborough. The routine being the USN crew fired at the Viet Cong while we photographed them, then we fired at the target so they could watch us. I am reasonably sure we were anchored in Vung Tau Harbour firing into the Long Hai Hills, as we did do this once or twice. The five VC in the fishing boat surrendered to us on 1st February 1971 off the U Minh Coast. For some reason our Executive Officer, Commander Harris, issued them with a loaf of fresh bread just prior to handing them over to the South Vietnamese Navy, who did not treat them well, pistol whipping one of them on board Perth, much to our disgust as they were bound up. Whenever HMAS Perth went to action stations I was a member of the Forward Medical Party stationed in the Wardroom, which could be converted into an operating theatre in seconds of the alarm sounding. My ammunition ship station was Mount S1 magazine. We once had a 5 inch shell fail from the upper deck into the magazine where I had been standing waiting for the hoist only seconds earlier. An event which is guaranteed to take the shine off your day! My duties as Captain's Valet; serving all of the meals, keeping the accounts, organising monthly dinner parties when in Port, accompanying the Captain at wardroom functions, generally tending to his every need. At times working 14 to 16 hour days, as one must be on call at all times when the Captain is awake. Adapted from the film makers notes included with the film.