Vietnam Veteran’s Day is synonymous with Long Tan Day, a significant battle Australian soldiers fought near the village of Long Tan. Spanning for over a decade from 1962, almost 60,000 Australian soldiers served during the Vietnam War.
Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War saw the National Service Act introduced; a scheme of selective conscription designed to create an army of 40,000 soldiers, many of which were sent to serve in Vietnam.
Over 500 Australians were killed and over 3,000 were wounded while in service in Vietnam. Whilst over 30,000 Australian Soldiers returned home in the 70s, it wasn’t until 1987 that Vietnam Veterans received a welcome home parade.
Each year we commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day on the 18th of August to pay our respects to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers that fought over 2,000 North Vietnamese troops in the Battle of Long Tan.
Vietnam Veterans Day is commemorated on 18 August every year. 2023 marked the 57th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. 2023 was also a significant year for our Vietnam Veteran’s as it marked the 50th Anniversary since Australia’s involvement in Vietnam.
The day was originally known as Long Tan Day, chosen to commemorate the men of D Company, 6RAR who fought in the battle of Long Tan in 1966. On 18 August, 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought a pitched battle against over 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops in a small village off Long Tan. The Australians prevailed, but only after fighting in torrential rain for four hours.
They were nearly overrun, but were saved by a timely ammunition resupply, accurate artillery fire from the nearby Australian base, and the arrival of reinforcements by armoured personnel carrier. Eighteen Australians lost their lives and 24 were wounded, the largest number of casualties in one operation since the Australian task force had arrived a few months earlier.
