Posted on 04/04/2008 12:56:12 AM PDT by Dundee
MORE than 40 years since serving under the command of the US Air Force in Vietnam, members of the so-called Wallaby Squadron have finally been honoured at a ceremony in Canberra.
A total of 128 USAF Air Medals were belatedly awarded to the Australian pilots and ground crew of the RAAF's 35 Squadron, in recognition of their efforts when they flew with the Americans during almost a decade of battle.
They were the first RAAF operational unit sent to Vietnam in 1964, and the last to leave in 1972.
Operating Caribou aircraft, the RAAF 35 Squadron, also dubbed Wallaby Airlines by their American counterparts, were responsible for supply drops, extractions and the recovery of soldiers, both dead and alive, during 12-13 hour days.
US Ambassador to Australia Robert McCallum, who today presented the pilots and ground crew of 35 Squadron with their medals at a ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, described their efforts as "nothing short of amazing".
"Day and night, these men, sometimes flying in the worst of weather and into the worst terrain and airfields, got the job done,"...
"I'm not particularly pleased that it took this long for (the awarding of the medals) to occur, but on the other hand, it has occurred, it is a recognition of the remarkable activity that was undertaken by these six aircraft in the Wallaby Airline."
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
It’s not before time that these brave men be honored and thanked for their service. Good on the Aussies for seeing the task done at last.
God bless our brave friends & allies from Australia. I’m sure they earned those medals a dozen times over. Well done, mates!
I happened to be at Tan Son Nhut Air Base (1965 time frame) during a heavy monsoon rain shower. The runway was temporarily closed. An Aussie Caribou was last in a line of aircraft waiting to take off. Having important things to do, the Caribou pilot made a U turn and took off using the taxiway...to the cheers of all of us who were watching.
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