"ANZACS at Long Tan" Topic

I found this great video on Youtube. It's a recent documentary about the RAR's action at Long Tan in 1966. It's a great primer for Flames of War Tour of Duty which is set to come out next month.

YouTube link

They really did a great job showing just how bad that action got. One company vs. a battalion and frequently it was just a few sections holding off vastly superior forces. This one shows just how important artillery was in Vietnam for the Free World Forces and how willing the NVA was to go into force-on-force actions. Even in the deep south.

Great stuff!

As usual the "ANZACs" did a great job.

And as I have said, and I'm sure I'm not the first and only, the most powerful weapon a Rifle PL or Co. Cdr generally has is his radio. He can call in a plethora of firepower/ordinance from mortars, FA, CAS, etc., …

"An avalanche of fire and steel" ; I have heard it referred to.

Learned of Long Tan as a youngster; my father was regular Australian Army. Always expected to be called up myself but was a couple of years short in 1972 when the new Australian Prime Minister called off the conscription draft.

I have Kiwi mates today and will always be grateful for the NZ gunners that fought their guns all night to hold the VC back from our positions.

Superbly produced documentary – astonishing commentary from the survivors.

RIP the honoured dead of D Company & 1st APC Squadron.

Go tell the Spartans.

I grew up with the kids of our current Governor General, General Sir Peter Cosgrove. He was an infantry leader and Vietnam combat veteran. Talked to the guy a lot when I was a kid, the most normal family man you could imagine.

Vietnam has the popular image of drug addicted conscripts fighting an unprofessional war and veterans coming back to become suicidal and depressed. However a lot of professional soldiers went there, did their job, killed the enemy and came back with honour to live good lives.

I wish more people would remember that.

. However a lot of professional soldiers went there, did their job, killed the enemy and came back with honour to live good lives.
I wish more people would remember that.

Amen to that … The media has tainted the image of many Vietnam Vets, etc. I started ROTC in '75. Almost all our instructors, were regular Army, and Vietnam Vets. As many of our senior officers, WOs and NCOs were, when I went on Active Duty in '79.

We learned our "craft" from some of the best. Used some of those lessons learned/experiences thru out the decade I served in the Regular Army with the Infantry.

Interesting to hear your story Legion 4. I've always assumed that however.

That's part of the reason Reagan's US Armed Forces were so ready to fight the Soviet Union. It was the reason that the US Military that went to the Gulf in 1991 was so awesome.

It was not just from money spent but from lessons learned and experience from Vietnam. Not only in the ground forces but the USAF learned a whole bunch from Vietnam I've heard.

It's part of the American character to learn and improve from failure. When the Russians went into Grozny in '94 it was like they hadn't learned anything from Afghanistan.

Yes, you are correct. The US military had to "rebuild" itself after Vietnam. Starting with lessons learned to discontinuing the draft in '72, etc.

We always wrote and read After Action Reports. Study a bit of history, etc. to "learn" how to be "better" at our craft. The paradigm of modern warfare changed a bit with Vietnam.

And at our officers' basic plus as a Plt Ldr in the 101 ABN AA Div, and later as an M113 Mech Co. Cdr. We not only trained for COIN but modern Mobile Combined Arms Warfare. We knew we may fight the enemy on the plains of Europe, the Korean Peninsula, the jungles of Central and South America. And as time went on we also trained for the battle we knew may becoming – the desert, as well.

We worked closely with the other services, cross training the USMC/USN and the USAF. I and others went to other branches of service schools and courses. I went to USN/USMC Basic Amphib training and USAF Air/Ground Ops School. Plus we trained with them in the field.

So yes I agree with you, we learned and trained and trained and trained. We knew the Cold War could go Hot at anytime. As we see today, the US units did very well in both Iraq and A'stan.

Sadly for a time, recently some of our elected/appointed officials forgot or never knew about something that they did during Vietnam. They tried to micromanage the commanders on the ground/in the field. Causing in some cases unneeded losses and not always accomplishing the mission. I.e. getting the job done.

But e.g. with ISIS losing it's "Caliphate" and many of it's troops and assets. I think it demonstrates the US military is still very capable. And can train and work with locals as the situation requires it. And get the job done …

Thank you for your informative and interesting posts Legion 4 always and I know it's uncool to say but thank you for your part in keeping the free world free.

Thank you Uparmored ! We'll keep it among ourselves ! We don't want to upset the "cool" guys[or gals !] !

I've watched that documentary before, and it really is one of the very best I've seen: I cannot recommend it highly enough.