Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Cpl. David John Dubber MID
David John Dubber was born on the 17th of April 1943 in Coburg, Victoria just outside of Essendon to Alfred Samuel and Florence May (or Mary) Dubber.  Brother to Patricia and Margaret.
 
David attended St. Pauls Catholic High School and then went on to St Ambrose Boys College, Brunswick.  During David’s time at that school there a choir formed called the Ambrosian Boys Choir which David joined.  For a couple of years, the choir performed at Melbourne Carrols by Candlelight. 
 
After completing school David became an apprentice butcher.  He was not keen on the early starts, so he began looking for other work.  He worked as stores hand at a motor spares warehouse for a year and sheet metal worker at Coburg for 12 months.
 
David and wife June worked for a short time at a milk bar in the Moonee Ponds area.  Meanwhile, David’s older sister Patricia was working for the Joseph Allison Funeral Director on Sydney Road, Brunswick.  David decided to apply for a position and was soon an Undertakers Assistant, driving funeral coaches and hearses and other duties.  David stayed in that industry for several years before considering the Royal Australian Air Force.  His motivation for joining the RAAF was because of a friend, Ron Williams Frognall had been seconded to the Air Force.
 
David joined the Royal Australian Air Force on the 3rd April 1967 and following training became a member of the Airfield Defence Guards graduating on 28th November 1968.   Duties and Service location included Penrith NSW, Amberley QLD and No 5 Sqn RAAF at Fairbairn ACT.
 
David was promoted to Leading Aircraftman in November 68, and to Corporal in November 1970.  David was described by his superiors as a mature and experienced serviceman.  He gets on well with others and is completely dependable and worthy of promotion.
 
Completing training and receiving promotion David was posted from Richmond, NSW to Saigon, Vietnam, serving with No 2 Squadron from 14th February 1968 until 1st January 1969.  David was to serve in Vietnam twice.
 
David was Mentioned in Despatches for his leadership, courage and devotion to duty in leading a section of airfield defence guards during his tour in No 2 Squadron.
 
David’s second tour of duty to Vietnam commenced on the 5th of May 1971.  He was killed in action on the 7th of June 1971 when the helicopter he was crewing as the door gunner was shot down during a ammunition supply and medevac mission during the Battle of Long Khanh.  David was survived by his wife June and his daughter Lisa who was 5 at the time.
 
  
In June 1971 the entire Australian task force was involved in a concentrated effort against a large number of enemy in the province of Long Khanh as part of an overriding operation called Operation Overlord.
 
On the 7th of June 1971, a significant ground battle occurred now known as the Battle of Long Khanh.  5 Platoon B Company 3rd Battalion RAR and other units had come under concentrated small arms fire from a large enemy fortified bunker system in the northern most portion of Phuc Tuy Province.  This area was tactically known as Area of Operation (AO) GOLD.  The 5th Platoon 3rd Battalion RAR had been in contact for some time and were running critically low on ammunition.  A 9 Sqn RAAF helicopter was scrambled to load ammunition supplies and deliver same to the soldiers in contact.  The vegetation of the contact area was dense jungle with tall trees and thick canopy.  There were no landing zones.  Whilst ammunition was desperately low there were wounded requiring urgent medevac.
 
Greg Forbes recalled being thrown into the Co-pilot seat of the helicopter, callsign Albatross 06, and told to pick up ammunitions and drop it to 5 Platoon, B Company, 3 RAR because they were under heavy enemy attack and low on ammo.  The helicopter pilot on this mission was Flight Lieutenant Everitt Murray Lance, a veteran of several wars and highly experienced helicopter pilot.
 
As they were flying towards the B Company 3 RAR contact, Bushranger helicopter gunships were in firing pattern above the contact area.  Bushranger gunship attack helicopters called Huey’s and Cobras were on station to assist.  An American Cobra gunship code named Batman 71 instructed the supply helicopter to join the aerial pattern above the contact area and standby to make their delivery.  Completing their Cobra gunship runs across the contact zone, instructions were given for the delivery to commence.
 
Greg Forbes recalls, “We were to go into a hovering position adjacent to a red balloon and rope down the ammo supplies," Greg recounts.  When Albatross 06 slowed to a hover, David Dubber yelled, "We're taking fire from our left!".  At the same time another voice came through the radio to them, "you're taking ground fire - rack off!"  Heavy thuds were felt at the bottom of the helicopter.  They later found this to be 12.7mm heavy machine gun fire.  The helicopter's Captain, Flight Lieutenant 'Lofty' Everitt M. Lance, tried to overshoot to gain height and fly away but they continued to go down as the engine failed.
 
The aircraft fell from a height of approximately 120 feet.  A tree branch came through the front windscreen, crushing Captain Flight Lt Everitt Murray Lance and part of the chopper itself.  Sergeant J. M. Griffiths from 3RAR who had got on board to help unload the ammo fell out of the helicopter and survived the fall with serious back injuries.  Greg Forbes (co-pilot) with eight stitches in his nose and the crewman, Corporal Peter Vidler, had also survived with a broken/dislocated shoulder.
 
Cpl David John Dubber was thrown out of the aircraft on impact with the tree.  Albatross 06 then fell, pinning David under the helicopter by his legs.  David Dubber was trying to free himself from the helicopter wreck when the helicopter exploded and burnt.
 
The crash and subsequent fire was the cause of his death.
 
 
Corporal David John Dubber MID was buried with full honours in the Garden of Remembrance, Fawkner, Moreland City, Victoria, Australia.  (New Lawn Area East Section B Compartment A Grave 48.Memorial ID 3753186)
 

Information supplied by Tony Cox with assistance of the AWM using Service Records and first hand family memories.

Cpl. David John Dubber MID
A School Project

(By Troy, Nerida, Nik & Chanel Jacobsen)

David John Dubber was born on the 17th  of April 1943 in Coburg, Victoria just outside of Essendon.

David attended St Pauls Catholic High School completing senior schooling and later joined the RAAF as a member of the ADG.

An ADG's main job is to make sure that the perimeter of an air base is protected from intrusions.  Also part of an ADG's role was to be a door gunner who would use a M60 machine gun and provide covering fire during medivac operations.  Dave continued his career with 9 Sqn RAAF where he became a specialist door gunner.

7th of June 1971, during the Battle of Long Khanh, B Company 3rd Battalion RAR units were receiving concentrated small arms fire from a fortified bunker system in the northern most portion of Phuc Tuy Province called section AO GOLD.  The 3rd Battalion RAR unit had requested a medivac and ammunition resupply.

The situation urgent, Greg Forbes recalls being thrown into the Co-pilot seat and told to pick up some ammo and drop it off to B Company, 3 RAR.  They were under heavy attack and low on ammo.

 As they were flying towards B Company 3 RAR, Bushranger helicopter Gunships were in firing pattern.  Bushranger gunship code named Batman 71 instructed them to join the aerial pattern to make their delivery  "We were to go into a hovering position adjacent to a red balloon and rope down the ammo supplies," Greg recounts. When Albatross 06 slowed to a hover, David Dubber yelled, "We're taking fire from our left!" At the same time another voice came through the radio them to, "you're taking ground fire - rack off!"  Heavy thuds were felt at the bottom of the helicopter. They later found this to be 12.7mm heavy machine gun fire.  The helicopter's Captain, Flight Lieutenant 'Lofty' E.M. Lance, tried to overshoot and fly away but they continued to go down as the engines failed.

The aircraft fell from a height of approximately 120 feet.  A tree branch came through the front windscreen, crushing the Captain and part of the chopper.  A Sergeant from 3RAR who had got on board to help unload the ammo fell out of the chopper and survived the fall with serious back injuries.  Greg Forbes (co-pilot) with eight stitches in his nose and the crewman, Corporal Peter Vidler, had also survived with a broken/dislocated shoulder.

David J Dubber was thrown out of his position on impact with the tree.  Albatross 06 then fell pinning him under the helicopter by his legs.  David Dubber was trying to free himself from the helicopter wreck when the helicopter exploded and burnt.

The crash and subsequent fire was seen to have been the caused his death.

Graham Kells, the 23 year old platoon commander of 5 platoon B company 3RAR said he saw the helicopter crash with a full load of ammunition and then it explode.  While he never met Dave personally Graham thinks about David and Lofty (Lance) often.

David J Dubber was a fit and healthy man. He was survived by his wife, June, and their five year old daughter.  David loved a good party and if he didn't know of a party happening, he would throw one himself.

He was also a very talented singer and musician and he would go down to local pubs with his best friends, Jock Massie, John Robson and John Scott, where he would sing in competitions and score a place in the finals. "His best song was 'Oh Danny Boy'. "He could really sing it," John Scott said.  He would also sing at the Grand Hotel at Vung Tau to earn some money on the side.

David Dubber received the MID for his leadership, courage and devotion to duty.

Its said that the night before he died a fortune teller came up to his table at a local restaurant and didn't want to read his fortune as he had a bad feeling.  "Whether this was related to what happened the next day or not, I still wonder" John Scott quoted.  He also said, "Vietnam was a place where you could make friends and lose them in the blink of an eye..."

"...On 7 June 1971, while undertaking a resupply mission for troops engaged on Operation Overlord, the helicopter crashed in the jungle after being hit by ground fire. The captain, O316996 Flight Lieutenant Everitt Murray Lance, and the gunner, A317809 Corporal David John Dubber, were killed in the crash, while two other crewmen escaped with relatively minor injuries..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)