Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)

Overview

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) began its involvement in the war in 1964 when a flight of Caribous began flying transport operations around South Vietnam. The following year RAAF helicopters began operations and in 1967 a squadron of Canberra bombers arrived in the country. Other RAAF personnel performed a variety of roles in Vietnam, from aeromedical evacuations to airfield construction and combat flying with United States forces.

35 Squadron

Coupled with its already demanding workload, 35 Squadron routinely carried out wide-ranging unscheduled daily tasks, allocated at short notice, including transporting military and civilian passengers, medical evacuations and delivering mail or general cargo (food, fuel, livestock, ammunition, spare parts). more…

9 Squadron

No. 9 Squadron’s helicopters carried out a range of roles in Vietnam, the most important of which were the transport of infantry and logistic support. In the battle of Long Tan, pilots flew at tree-top height in appalling conditions to drop ammunition to beleaguered Australian troops and retrieve the wounded. more…

2 Squadron

Equipped with Canberra bombers and flying out of Phan Rang Air Base, No. 2 Squadron operated day and night missions destroying a wide range of infrastructure targets as well as attacking Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops. more…

Other RAAF Personnel

RAAF personnel also served in logistics tasks and aeromedical evacuations using Hercules aircraft, in airfield construction, as forward air controllers calling in and guiding artillery strikes, in reconnaissance operations, and flying F-4s with the US Air Force. more…

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