9 Squadron RAAF South Vietnam 1971

9 Squadron operations South Vietnam Feb - April 1971. Shows Operations Room situation map RAAF Vung Tau circa February 1971. General scenes Phuoc Tuy Province including Can Tho patrol boat Base Long Hai Hills mangrove area north of Vung Tau. Nui Dat Base. With water dam showing. Nui Dhin Hills. Back to Long Hais and salt pans. Baria province capital. Bushranger gunship at rearm point Nui Dat. Taking off to the east from 'Kanga pad' Nui Dat in Bushranger and firing at a small boat on the coast of Phuoc north of the Long Hais. This was a Free Fire Zone (FFZ) practice mission. Pilot is 224748 Pilot Officer Ronald Dennis Bishop. Another FFZ mission firing rockets and guns on an old ship. Pilot is Pilot Officer Warren Bowen. Night firing mission in Nui Dhin hills North West of Vung Tau on a suspected enemy position. Camera mounted on tripod in co-pilots seat. 9 Squadron flypast over the RAAF compound at Vung Tau taken from the officer's mess. Troop inspection mission into Nui Dhin Hills west of Nui Dat. View of the Horseshoe FSB and returning for landing at Nui Dat turning right base from Luscombe field to land Kanga Pad to the west. Red Earth Medevac pad on the left. 17 April 1971 a simulated 'Dust off' (medical evacuation) mission flown for John Kerr of the Kerr Defence Renumeration Committee on his visit to Vietnam. It simulates- scramble at Red Earth Pad Nui Dat. Rescue using Jungle Penetrator - to Red Earth for stabilisation. - on move to Vung Tau to Hospital. This aircraft and crew Iroquois A2-767 Pilot Officer Mick Castles (Captain), 46672 Pilot Officer Simon Robert Ford (Co-pilot), 220871 Cpl Robert Albert Stephens (crewman) LAC Roy Zegere (gunner), 3170244 L/Cpl John Gillespie (medic) (KIA 17 April 1971). Later in the day flew an actual Medevac in the Long Hai Hills and were shot down by enemy fire resulting in the death of L/Cpl John Gillespie the man who had filmed the morning dustoff demonstration. Night scenes Phuoc Tuy Province. Night departure Nui Dat for Vung Tau (Pilot 224936 P/O Peter John Armstrong).