60 Years On Remembering The Battle Of Long Tan

Mackay’s Vietnam veterans will gather at Jubilee Park on August 18th to mark 60 years since the Battle of Long Tan and remember those who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara  

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Sixty years after the Battle of Long Tan, Mackay’s Vietnam veterans will gather at Jubilee Park to remember those who served, those who were wounded and those who never returned home.

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Vietnam Veterans Day in Mackay will be held on Tuesday 18th August from 5pm, marking the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan where17 Australians were killed and 26 wounded.

For Legacy Mackay President and Vietnam veteran Les Palmer, the day carries great significance.

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Les was 22 when he went to Vietnam in November 1969, just one month after marrying his wife. His service came through compulsory national service, after he had completed an apprenticeship at the Daily Mercury.

While the Battle of Long Tan is central to Vietnam Veterans Day, Les said the occasion also provided an opportunity to remember veterans who were lost in other battles and incidents throughout the war.

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He was wounded during a separate incident involving his battalion, in which nine were killed and 16 wounded.

“Everybody who served, was impacted in some sort of way, even if you didn't get wounded,” he said.

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Les said recognition of Vietnam veterans had also changed over the decades, with greater acknowledgement of the experiences and sacrifices of those who returned home.

The annual ceremony will include a parade, the Australian and New Zealand national anthems, wreath-laying and the laying of poppies at the memorial. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

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This year, a naval cadet commanding officer will deliver the guest address, with the local veterans group keen to provide an opportunity for younger members of the Australian Defence Force to take part.

For Les Palmer, the enduring friendships formed during military service are among the memories that remain strongest.

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“Out there you made a lot of mates, and the memories you make with them are the main thing that you take with you,” he said.

Decades after the war, reunions continue to bring former servicemen together.

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Les also remembers the outlook he had as a young man preparing to serve.

“I was actually keen to go because Dad had served in World War 2 and I thought, well, if he can do it, so can I,” he said.

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He acknowledged his father understood the realities of war more deeply than he did at the time.

“He wasn't happy, because he knew what happened in wars, and I was just young and thought I was bulletproof.”

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As the number of Vietnam veterans continues to decline, Les said the Legacy Mackay Veterans Support Group was also looking towards the future of encouraging younger veterans to become involved.

“What we really need now are Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor, all types of servicemen to come together, even those that are young, and carry the legacy,” he said.

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For those attending Vietnam Veterans Day, the ceremony will provide an opportunity to pause and remember not only the events of Long Tan, but the many Australians whose lives were lost, reshaped and forever changed by the Vietnam War.

What? Remembering the Vietnam War
When? August 18^th, 5pm
Where? Jubilee Park

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