OV10-Bronco Commissioning and Forward Air Controllers Welcome
Welcome address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the OV10-Bronco Commissioning and Forward Air Controllers, 18 August 2023.
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One of the Memorial’s longest serving Directors, Maj Gen Steve Gower, who I’m delighted is with us today, used to say that a great museum required a great collection, and ours was incomplete.
Certainly, we couldn’t tell the full story of Australia’s War in Vietnam without telling the story of our Forward Air Controllers. And we couldn’t tell their story without one of the aircraft they flew – the Bird Dog, Skymaster or Bronco.
So, in 1998 – 25 years ago - he started the process that led, eventually, to today.
Success has many fathers, and I’m the bloke who gets to stand here today, but Steve, it started with you, and with Memorial volunteer and ex RAAFie Alan Storr, and the then Senior Curator Military Technology, John White, who sought contact with all RAAF FACs who had served in Vietnam, and the logbooks with the details of all missions flown.
But how this particular aircraft came to be before you today wrests heavily on the shoulders of two who will speak shortly, Ken Semmler, DFC and Kim Wood.
It also involves the Royal Australian Navy and HMAS Tobruk (and I acknowledge TOBRUK’s former Commanding Officer, Rear Admiral Brett Wolski, RAN, who brought this aircraft from the Philippines to Australia) the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade and our Embassies in Washington and Manila and the Department of State and the US Embassy here in Canberra.
This aircraft is storied in its own right – and unique amongst our collection.
It is the only aircraft in the collection that has seen service in the USAF.
It will stand and continue to serve as a reminder of the importance of The Alliance.
Don’t be fooled by the paint job on the CAC Sabre over there – it passed through the hands of a US collector but was flown operationally by Nos 3, 77 and 79 Sqn, RAAF.
My job today is simply to welcome you all here to the Treloar Centre – Treloar E to be precise - however, there is something I’d like on the record:
As Peter Condon and Chris Clark wrote in Hit My Smoke, ‘despite the extraordinarily active part the FACs had played in operations in Vietnam over five and a half years, comparatively little had been heard about their contribution by the Australian public.
The popular image of this nation’s part in Vietnam conflict remained dominated by the activities of Army elements in Phouc Tuy…it scarcely mattered either that no group, with the possible exception of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam, saw more action on a consistent and almost daily basis and across the length and breadth of the now defunct southern republic, than did the FACs.
Reflecting the high risks of their role, the FACs also emerged from the Vietnam conflict as one of the most highly decorated groups of Australians sent to the war. No fewer than 23 members were recognised under the Imperial honours and awards system…two were appointed Companions of the Distinguished Service Order, 15 received the Distinguished Flying Cross and six were mentioned in dispatches.’
There is an entire page of Hit My Smoke dedicated to the foreign gallantry awards also awarded to this remarkable group of aviators.
And so, to the Pioneers, and the nine ‘batches’ of FACs who followed and with call signs as colourful as Jade, Ascot, Bart, Issue, Tamale, Sidewinder, Drama, Thirsty, Rod, Nile, Slugger, Rash, Helix and Bilk:
When you look at the OV10 Bronco 14639, please know that here is your story, in the heart of the land you love, and here, through this aircraft and the stories it will enable us to tell, here we will guard the record which you, yourselves have made.
We are honoured to welcome you here today, and so much richer as a nation for your service.