THE HON. DR MIKE KELLY MP
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
068/2009
RELEASE OF INQUIRY INTO UNRESOLVED
RECOGNITION ISSUES FOR THE BATTLE OF
LONG TAN
The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, the Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM
MP, today announced that the Government has accepted the
recommendations of the independent Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal
Inquiry into Unresolved Recognition Issues for the Battle of Long Tan.
The Report recommended that:
1.
Flight Lieutenant Cliff Dohle be awarded the Distinguished Service
Medal, the contemporary equivalent award to the Distinguished Flying
Cross, the original award for which he was properly recommended in
1966 by all levels of Australian command in Vietnam;
2.
No other individual awards be made to participants in the Battle of Long
Tan; and
3.
Delta Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (RAR), be
awarded the Unit Citation for Gallantry for its performance at the Battle
of Long Tan in August 1966.
The Battle of Long Tan was fought on 18 August 1966 when Delta Company,
6 RAR came into contact with a much larger enemy force while patrolling
outside the 1st Australian Task Force at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province, South
Vietnam. Seventeen members of Delta Company were killed during the
battle, and another 21 were wounded.
“The release of the findings fulfils a Rudd Labor Government election
commitment. The Government has accepted the Tribunal’s findings, and I
have directed Defence to implement the recommendations,” said Dr Kelly.
“I am delighted that the Tribunal has recommended the award of an Australian
Unit Citation for Gallantry to the men of Delta Company 6 RAR. This ensures
that all are recognised for what was in effect a magnificent team effort. It has
only been in recent years that we have come to appreciate the full significance
of the battle in the context of the conflict.”
“For the South Vietnamese Government at the time it meant that the Phuoc
Tuy Province was effectively neutralised as a concern. For the US it
contributed to the overall effort in that it enabled resources to be focused
elsewhere. For Australia it was significant because we now know that this
was a planned and determined effort to annihilate the Australian Task Force
before it had settled in.”
“The result of the action was not only that the enemy was prevented from
achieving this objective but was never able to mount such an effort again in
Phuoc Tuy Province for the remainder of the Australian presence.”
“I also commend the Tribunal for upholding the recommendation made in
1966 by RAAF command in Vietnam to award Flight Lieutenant Cliff Dohle the
Distinguished Flying Cross,” said Dr Kelly.
“I would also like to thank the Tribunal for its work on this and the other
matters it has dealt with or is continuing to deal with. I believe all members of
the Tribunal have undertaken their work diligently, fairly and with an open
mind. I continue to have complete confidence in the Tribunal.”
“The release of the Tribunal’s report and the acceptance of the
recommendations clearly demonstrate the Government’s commitment to the
independent review of long-standing Defence honours and awards issues.”
The Tribunal’s full report is available at www.defence-honours-tribunal.gov.au.
Further information on Defence honours and awards is available at:
Media contacts:
Mark Sjolander (Dr Mike Kelly):
02 6277 4840 or 0407 102 220
Defence Media Liaison:
02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
