Australian SAS in Vietnam - TV news footage

From the Australian War Memorial's collection.
Place made: Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam
Date made: April 1970
Description:
Patrol commander briefing his men before they get ready to go out to find the enemy. Patrol 'camming up' before they leave camp in vehicles. Patrol arrives at Kangaroo pad to board helicopters. Insertion. Patrol moving in jungle. SAS patrol returning to base, cleaning weapons, moving off to tents, and second patrol returns. Men play basketball for pleasure and to keep fit. Assault craft training in river. Helicopters taking off with patrol. Group of SAS running to keep fit. Trooper (Tpr) Graham Smith, 25, of Annerley, Qld; Tpr Roger Kaczmarek, 23, of Croydon Park, SA; Tpr James Raitt, 24, of Bentley, WA; telling of incidents with the enemy in the jungle. Interview with OC of 1 SAS Squadron, Major Teague. Pilots speaking to each other on intercom.

[@pats3071]

One of the most effective units in the war.

[@bbqsundae4648]

the SASR killed 500 Viet Cong and only lost 5 of there own,3 of which was from friendly fire. They were the best by far.

[@Page-Hendryx]

@@bbqsundae4648 The hell are you babbling about?

[@SamO-ik2cm]

One of? They WERE the best. They taught americans how to fight.

[@davidpassant5626]

Phantoms of the jungle.

[@markjohnston9017]

Read the book, my God those blokes were good.

[@jockp8912]

Thanks for your service

[@The_Comedian556]

Those accents. Long gone now.

[@stevereynolds1407]

Lest We Forget! ❤

[@BigBollocks123]

They’re all heroes. Should be treated as such. God bless you boys.

[@andypandy8569]

Thank you all.

[@czr7j9]

so patient these SAS, yet ready to unleash hell

[@PITERPPPP]

czr7j9 on the hell is not necessarily they skils, there is terrorific place only pain buddy.

[@FrostedSeagull]

They were amazing the SAS. Unbelievably lucky for me, I went to school and sat next to a guy who's brother served in the SAS in Vietnam. Patience - only Tibetan and Zen Buddhist monks possess more. This SAS hombre told me that they most they would move in a day was 500 metres. Senses - again like Eastern Buddhist monks they used their 5 senses, but mostly hearing and smelling the enemy. These guys would pay attention to the animals noises around them. No matter how careful the VC were, and some were really careful and quote "as good as us", they made noise the animals stopped making noises. We then knew they were there. We could also smell them after about 20 - 40 minutes. I got write 4,000 word stories about what this ex-SAS trooper told me and no their not American War movie type stories.

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

@@FrostedSeagull Liar.

[@cristobalvillalpando7451]

Such heroes

[@jasonsha6844]

LEST WE FORGET AATTV and all vetrens

[@stevejory9679]

@Badness Bob I was a mate of Peter Shilston.

[@stevejory9679]

@Badness Bob I knew Peter when he was living in Bruthen, Victoria. He passed away probably 15 years ago. There is a book called The Team and gives a lot of information on the AATTVN. They carried out numerous clandestine operations.

[@redmerlot2466]

@@stevejory9679 Peter Shilston ... A bloody good soldier and a damn fine bloke.

[@jeremygreen3392]

Lest we forget Captain “Graeme Rhodes Bellville” AATTV date of casualty 02/12/66 my great uncle.

[@vicbittertoo]

@@jeremygreen3392 definitely, true warrior, I'm his son, Dave Belleville :), gday cuz !!

[@davidgilroy1214]

God bless the Australia's that faught in Vietnam. There presence in this conflict are often forgotten.

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

Gods are fictional. The SAS are real. Very real.

[@azzlazzar6593]

Best special forces in the world

[@neobliviscarisa650]

u forget, the NZ had a lot of success and 8 yrs more experience learning off the UK in Malaya... the Aussies had a hard time adapting initially.. plus, the UK SAS and SBS were there unofficially... The Aussies are only as good as the training and craft they learnt from the UK.. so hardly the best...whatever that means!

[@neobliviscarisa650]

bobba - definition of competence = knowledge, EXPERIENCE, personal qualities and Training... Of course experience is relevant! not least, because it means that you maintain real time battle capability, of which current instructors are retained. The US Seals had a drought after Vietnam, as they had only endured skirmishes up until the Iraq war. So they had a lot of catch up time to make. As for Anzacs being better.. You forget that the UK pioneered jungle warfare with 8 yrs successful previous experience in Malaya before Vietnam, then Borneo. The Aussies were trained by us to prepare them for the tougher environment of Borneo. And you also forget, that the uK were in Vietnam unofficially fighting with the Aussies successes and the Delta/Seals devisions.!!!! You also overlook that the UK have had far more military conflicts since WW2, including 30 yrs in Ireland!! we are at the forefront of counter terrorism in the world; close protection; (hence we are the main choice for consultation on security for olympics, vip protection); we have more experience in arctic mountain warfare, which is why we still train the aussies in norway; urban warfare too; and we had active fighting successes in Oman; Aden iraq, syria, Afghan (desert/mountain); South Africa; Rhodesia; Sierra leonne for bush warfare... I could go on.. And on top of all that, we invest far more brains and resources into development, which are shared with our US as well as Anzac. And when you state better... that is non sensical, as we share placements with Aussies and nZ.. and use identical methods. similar DnA and cultural approaches.. The big difference,e is that you can join the Anzac SF's as civilian, but in the UK you have 2 yrs military service before allowed.

[@neobliviscarisa650]

Competence = knowledge, experience, personal qualities and Training.. of course experience is significant... the Uk has been in more conflicts in more diverse theaters of war than anyone on the planet...since WW2. The US had a drought after Vietnam, as their experienced operatives had retired by the time iraq war kicked off.. this meant a serious learning curve for a number of years. Secondly, the UK trained the Aussies in jungle warfare, having had 8 successful yrs with the nZ defeating the Malayans.. then the tougher env of Borneo, when the Aussies had to play catch up. You also forget, that the UK were fighting in the same Aussie units in Nam, just unofficially.. and we were training the US initially as well... But in true UK fashion, just like Mogadishu, the French rescue mission etc... we never take the credit. that way, we get asked back to help nations again, and maintain our experience... So the Aussie success in Nam was joint effort, based on tried and tested UK tactics! Thirdly, we have the most sophisticated counter terror (and oldest( system on the planet.. world authority on urban warfare, close protection and hostage rescue. We also pioneered much of the desert, bush and water based tactics in the SBS, including parachuting to water and kayak tactics post WW2. And we train the Aussies in mountain and arctic recon, in norway, where we have had more experience.. not least Falklands, Balkans, then Afghan, where the SBS have spear headed the attack on the taliban. We have far more development capabilities based on our brains and history of innovation in defense..BAE MBDA etc... and SF research wing... more experience working with the secret services... and not least, we have similar dna, training and culture to Anzacs.. not least as we share the same history and blood, and continuously do exchanges...

[@pfdrtom]

As an American I have to admit you're right. There were Diggers on the MAC-V SOG secret teams in Laos, Cambodia, and North Viet Nam. Thanks for standing by us...even though it turned out the way it did.

[@timrobertsgb]

The Aussies learnt their craft in WW2 in New Guinea when they were the first troops to halt the Japanese. The UK learnt a lot from the Australian experience in Malaya

[@patrefkorwa9371]

Very beautiful to repeat the history again. I pray for it. Very soon will happen again.

[@meinhoffendant]

me too man

[@FroggyFrog9000]

awesome

[@benhesford9989]

best . the very best. ... again the very best men ever trained for war australian sas

[@neobliviscarisa650]

you forget, the NZ had a lot of success and 8 yrs more experience learning off the UK in Malaya... the Aussies had a hard time adapting initially.. plus, the UK SAS and SBS were there unofficially... The Aussies are only as good as the training and craft they learnt from the UK.. so hardly the best...whatever that means!

[@memoresto3480]

@@nahyeahwhatsahandle absolute Flog

[@willemvanlent6955]

Absolutely NOT!!! THE "BRANDEN BURGER DIVISION" and "WAFFEN-SS" were!!!

[@lynneburridge9082]

​

[@paddy.7784]

Great soldiers .. modest, straight up . How things have changed.

[@trevorlewis847]

What do u mean,nothing changed since nam,exept more and better training so shut ya fukn gob fukhead

[@asmodeus0454]

These members of the Australian SASR in South Vietnam are very different men to those shown in the leaked footage from Afghanistan. Standards have clearly greatly declined in the Australian armed forces since the 1960s.

[@sarcasmo57]

Brave guys.

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

Says the anonymous infantile coward!

[@Richard-qx6el]

You wouldn't want to mess with these boys, I'm surprised the NV would tackle them.

[@greasyflight6609]

The North Vietnamese tackled everyone...they were the finest Infantry in the World...just ask "these boys"...and everyone else who fought against them.

[@Aussie3225]

@@greasyflight6609 I disagree

[@greasyflight6609]

@@Aussie3225 No worries...I served with Vietnam Vets who spoke quietly how they were astonished how the NVA could endure....and "still keep coming against very bad odds" They fought hard....incredible

[@Aussie3225]

@@greasyflight6609 are you talking about SAS, or regulars? No doubt the NVA were ok, but I think you’ll find our SAS were the tougher, better trained soldiers. The VC were capable, but highly respected the Australian boys. Just my opinion mate.

[@greasyflight6609]

@@Aussie3225 No doubt...SAS not Regular Inf...you may have already but watch the documentary "Danger Close"...ANZAC...Battle of Long Tan

[@daverad8131]

how come they never cover there faces back then the sasr?

[@LesHankin]

they didnt need too , the look of them scared the shit out of the enemy

[@stitchup5637]

That mentality is a more modern thing.

[@tabrizahaarn1775]

what a heap of rubbish wi wong.. of course troops camouflaged their faces but you could not stop conflating it with your bigotry. No one was complaining when black slaves were being shipped into the UK by the millions for transit to the US, nor the Muslim troops who fought for France and UK in both World Wars. Ultimate irony here is that Australia is Aboriginal. Stop screwing invading and stealing the worlds resources. So should non indigenous Australian Kiwis SA Canadians N and S Americans of European origin return from Bongo Bongo land?

[@tabrizahaarn1775]

he was a war criminal

[@tabrizahaarn1775]

@@nahyeahwhatsahandle dude whats that got to do with the SASR ? My closest friend in Oz is ex RAR and a Vietnam Vet but it was in response to wi wongs bigoted BS about not having their faces covered. Am not butthurt as you put it nor am I dissing you as people need to write to each other with respect but you can read for yourself how many idiots are out there. William Wilberforce lived just around the corner from me in London and his policies to end slavery took decades and the British Redcoats were brutally beaten when they invaded Haiti to stop slave revolts spreading through the Empire. Secondly the UK slave trade was ended only 22+ or years before the end of the US Civil war and not before the huge amounts of wealth was made on their backs by slave traffickers. Lincoln wrote speeches that would have allowed slavery to continue if the Union held before the war really kicked in. Thirdly it was not through any altruism that the UK ended slavery but a bailout .. the slave owners were reimbursed billions in todays money by the UK government for the slaves they forfeited as they were considered assets and guess who paid for that - the poor in the UK who continued to be exploited without any social reforms or working rights.

[@chica476]

Never knew the SASR used the m16 A2.

[@LesHankin]

they developed it .

[@chica476]

Les Hankin No, it was developed by the US Marines Corps. mate.

[@LesHankin]

Sorry it was developed by Australian S.A.S

[@chica476]

Les Hankin I just googled it, and the first two sources thing that came up stated that it was the Americans who made the modulation or whatever you call it. Suppose you'd provide a source for the claim that it was the Ozzie's who did it instead of the American's?

[@macko1416]

chica476 they used what ever

[@davidlloyd2225]

4:02 sassbs white ghost respect❤️🇬🇧💯 4:25

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

Thanks. But dreadful firearms hygiene at 8:55. I would have had him on a charge, then and there.

[@glennmurray.]

Who Dares Wins 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@frogsgottalent1106]

Is that blond dude Urquart ?

[@curiousotter2056]

They’re so bad at basketball lol 😄

[@Thepigfromthepot]

Curious Otter that would of been stuff we stole off the yanks while they were asleep

[@baddog5936]

Lucky too, the VC weren't there to play basketball. Neither was the SAS.

[@allenfitzpatrick8485]

We call it netball in Australia, it's played by girls.

[@Page-Hendryx]

MACV-SOG were the greatest in Vietnam; they will never be equalled!

[@ObsidianFrog]

Dream on child.........

[@StirlingVoid]

The British Sas did a fantastic job training these Australian patriots 👍

[@DANINREDDY]

You are so very unintelligent...

[@markkeily2827]

Absolute Rubbish. Australians operating in the Jungle since WW2 ; SASR in Borneo and RAR in Malaya.Taught ourselves you idiot.

[@caveman6988]

Australians trained themselves then then trained British

[@darrenmonks4532]

Brits and Aussies trained each other, from Z Force (WW2) to nowadays. Australian independent companies (WW2 commandos) taught themselves how to beat the Japanese in the jungles of New Guinea/Borneo, not the poms.

[@memoresto3480]

Jonathan Bell-end