Australians and Vietnamese combine in operation DPR/TV/1146

In Vietnam a crack Vietnamese Marine Brigade has joined with the Australian force in an operation designed to deal a crippling blow to elements of three Vietcong battalions believed holed up in the Hat Dich area, about 15 miles north-west of the Task Force base at Nui Dat. An element of the Australian Task Force Headquarters under the Deputy Commander, Colonel Ken McKenzie of Brisbane, Qld, has moved into the field along with the Marine Brigade Headquarters to run the operation. The operation began on Friday (July 18) when Three Troop of Bravo Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, in armoured personnel carriers secured an area near the village of Tam Phuoc for a base for the combined headquarters. Named Hat Dich after the area it is in, the operation will last eight days and was planned as a follow-up to the blow given the 274th Regiment when it attacked a Thai base north-west of the operations area recently. The Thais killed 212 for very light casualties of its own. Intelligence reports have indicated that the Vietcong are being reinforced, retrained and refitted in the Hat Dich area, as well as treating their wounded in hospitals set up for the purpose. US helicopters from the 116th Assault Helicopter Company ferried the two Marine battalions of the Brigade into their area of operations on the first day. The Vietnamese are working to the east of the Saigon River Delta region while the Australian 9th Battalion and supporting elements, which moved into position the same day, is operating some miles further east again. Throughout the first day, machines, equipment and materials arrived at the headquarter base, including two US Army "dusters" - tank mounted twin 40mm anti-aircraft guns which will be used to give concentrated fire against ground attack. The Australian section of the combined headquarters is two armoured command vehicles parked together inside the base. Aerials for radio communications are quickly erected while a dozer piles up a defensive bund. Headquarters staff mark up the battle maps for the operation. It is the first time that Australians have taken part in an operation with a combined headquarters and it is the first time in three and a half months that Task Force headquarter elements have gone into the field. Once the base takes shape the operations staff arrive to get the show on the road. The Task Force operations officer, Major D. Chinn of Holsworthy, NSW, visiting the HQ, artillery adviser, Major G. Taylor of Ashgrove, Brisbane, Qld, and Capt Don Gazzard of Casterton, Vic, walk to the command point and Capt Gazzard quickly points out details of the base defences to Major Chinn of Holsworthy, NSW and Capt Terry Gee of Inverbrackie, SA, the assistant operations officer. Colonel McKenzie arrives to take command at the Australian headquarters and is met by Capt Gee. A quick exchange and the colonel, with Capt Gee and the officer Commanding the 3rd Special Air Service Squadron, Major Reg Beasley of Swanbourne, WA, go to the Marine Brigade Headquarters for a conference. Col McKenzie is met by the Brigade's senior American Advisor, Major O'Connell, and the Brigade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen The Luong. Also identified: 2Lt Snow Ballance of RNZAC; Gunner Peter Trent of Salisbury, Brisbane, Qld.