50th Anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan

[Cybermat47]

Today is the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, which saw the Australian Army, with artillery support from the New Zealand Army and United States Army, resupply from the Royal Australian Air Force, and air support from the United States Air Force, defeat a large North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong force.

Even with the artillery and air support, and the APC and infantry reinforcements from their fellow Australians, and their New Zealander and American allies, the challenge facing the 108 men of D Company, 6 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was immense. They were attacked by between 1500-2500 NVA and Viet Cong troops.

At the end of the battle, of the 108 men of D Company, 18 had been killed, and 24 wounded. Of the 1500-2500 North Vietnamese, 245 had been killed, an estimated 350 wounded, and 3 taken prisoner.

The battle has been remembered in Australia. I live near a bridge named 'Long Tan', and August 18th is Vietnam Veteran's day (though locally it is usually commemorated earlier, the weekend before to be exact).