Battle of Long TanPrint Page 
The Battle of Long Tan (18 August 1966) took place near the village of Long Tan, in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The action was fought between Australian forces and Viet Cong and North Vietnamese units after the 108-man D Company, 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) clashed with a force of between 1,500 to 2,500 men from the Viet Cong 275th Regiment, reinforced by at least one North Vietnamese battalion and D445 Provincial Mobile Battalion.
Eighteen Australians were killed and 24 wounded, while the Viet Cong lost at least 245 dead which were found over the days that followed. A decisive Australian victory, Long Tan proved a major local set back for the Viet Cong.
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: | Northern Expressway & Two Wells Road, Buchfelde, 5118 |
|---|---|
| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -34.609784 Long: 138.68654 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Structure |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | Vietnam |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 18-August-1966 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 18-August-1966 |
Dedication
Plaque :
Long Tan
Vietnam 1966
Long Tan is in the former South Vietnam. On 18 August 1966, Delta Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was deployed to search for an enemy force that had mortared and rocketed the Task Force base at Nui Dat the previous night. While moving through a rubber plantation near Long Tan in the late afternoon they were engaged by the enemy force thought to number in excess of 1500.
For over three hours Delta Company, supported by artillery, armour and helicopters of the Royal Australian Air Force, fought the numerically superior enemy force in monsoon conditions.
