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Private Allan Cooper & Private Henry StanczykPrint Page Print this page

18-July-2017
18-July-2017

Photographs supplied by Mary Beaven

The monument commemorates Private Allan Cooper, a member of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment who was killed in action during the battles of Coral and Balmoral in the Vietnam War, and Henry Stanczyk who was also killed in action in Vietnam in 1970.

In May and June 1968 Australian soldiers fought their largest, most sustained and arguably most hazardous battles of the Vietnam War. Units of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) confronted regimental-sized formations of the North Vietnamese regular army in fierce actions around Fire Support Patrol Bases (FSPB) Coral and Balmoral in what was then known as Bien Hoa province.

Over the four weeks, in further actions around FSPB Coral and Balmoral, Australian soldiers accounted for over 300 enemy soldiers killed. They also captured hundreds of enemy weapons. In return, 26 Australian soldiers died: two from 12 Field Regiment; one from 104 Signals Squadron; 16 from 1 RAR; 6 from 3 RAR and one from 161 Independent Reconnaisance Squadron. Over 100 Australians were wounded. Australian Army regiments involved in the series of battles were later awarded one of the five battle honours approved for the Vietnam War.

Australia's military involvement in the Vietnam War began with the arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) in South Vietnam during July and August 1962.  Australia's participation in the war was formally declared at an end when the Governor-General issued a proclamation on 11 January 1973.

However, the end-date of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War has officially been amended to 29 April 1975 to reflect Australia’s further involvement in the war during the fall of Saigon in 1975.  The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra now recognise this new date.

Location

Address:Kingston Avenue, Carnegie Reserve, Royal Park, 5014
State:SA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -34.872875
Long: 138.506367
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Military

Dedication

Front Inscription

Alan John Cooper

Killed in action - Vietnam

26th May 1968 Aged 20
3 RAR

Left Side Inscription
Carnegie Reserve Memorial
Back Inscription

Henry Jan Stanczyk

Killed in action - Vietnam

30th April 1970 Aged 21
7 RAR

Source: RVWM, MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au