Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

I had permanent postings in Vung Tau and Saigon from January 1971 to November 1971. I missed out on Nui Dat because we were 'pulling out'. I was driving the lead vehicle for the first convoy of equipment and materiel to leave Nui Dat.

I was lucky to have enjoyed a relative outbreak of peace in my time in Vietnam. My claim to fame was to have removed an Aussie from a Pan Am jet that was bringing him back from R&R in Australia. He had hijacked the jet and threatened to blow it up if it did not return to Australia. American MPs were considering 'taking him out' until I arrived at Tan Sanut airfield. Armed with a yank baton and my side arm holstered I ascended the stairs to the plane where he admitted to me that his bomb was box full of socks and jocks. I was not sure that it was all bluff as I ascended the stairs, but I had a gut feel there was no bomb. Anyway, I believe that I saved his life.

For various reasons that I will not go into I did not receive an MID (Mention in Dispatches) for this action.