Australia's Vietnam War

FeaturesWar Timeline

The War, Phase by Phase

What Australian forces did in Vietnam from 1965 to 1971, and why: 6,157 recorded contacts, from the war's phases down to single actions. Open any row for more, or change how far in you look.

  1. 29 May 1965 –15 Jun 1966

    1965-05: 1 contacts, 0 friendly killed1965-06: 1 contacts, 3 friendly killed1965-07: 33 contacts, 0 friendly killed1965-08: 29 contacts, 0 friendly killed1965-09: 66 contacts, 1 friendly killed1965-10: 61 contacts, 3 friendly killed1965-11: 27 contacts, 3 friendly killed1965-12: 23 contacts, 0 friendly killed1966-01: 46 contacts, 7 friendly killed1966-02: 50 contacts, 0 friendly killed1966-03: 59 contacts, 2 friendly killed1966-04: 59 contacts, 0 friendly killed

    461 contacts · 19 friendly killed, 89 wounded · 118 enemy recorded killed

    A single Australian battalion fights under American command in Bien Hoa province, first guarding the air base, then on operations further afield.

  2. 1 Mar –17 Aug 1966

    1966-05: 37 contacts, 1 friendly killed1966-06: 91 contacts, 4 friendly killed1966-07: 94 contacts, 4 friendly killed1966-08: 42 contacts, 19 friendly killed

    246 contacts · 11 friendly killed, 57 wounded · 83 enemy recorded killed · 23 helicopter missions

    The 1st Australian Task Force arrives in Phuoc Tuy, builds its base at Nui Dat in the middle of Viet Cong country, and clears the villages around it.

  3. 18 Aug 1966 –28 Feb 1967

    1966-09: 37 contacts, 0 friendly killed1966-10: 47 contacts, 4 friendly killed1966-11: 73 contacts, 2 friendly killed1966-12: 35 contacts, 2 friendly killed1967-01: 24 contacts, 0 friendly killed1967-02: 63 contacts, 20 friendly killed

    290 contacts · 45 friendly killed, 140 wounded · 429 enemy recorded killed · 74 helicopter missions

    The enemy tests the new base at Long Tan, and the two battalions then push out across the province to cordon villages and search the hills.

  4. 1 Mar –31 Dec 1967

    1967-03: 55 contacts, 2 friendly killed1967-04: 76 contacts, 4 friendly killed1967-05: 135 contacts, 5 friendly killed1967-06: 128 contacts, 0 friendly killed1967-07: 89 contacts, 0 friendly killed1967-08: 110 contacts, 9 friendly killed1967-09: 97 contacts, 4 friendly killed1967-10: 53 contacts, 0 friendly killed1967-11: 97 contacts, 9 friendly killed1967-12: 92 contacts, 3 friendly killed

    932 contacts · 36 friendly killed, 118 wounded · 235 enemy recorded killed · 119 helicopter missions

    A second rotation of battalions arrives, and the Task Force tries to seal off the populated south with a fence and a belt of mines.

  5. 1 Jan –30 Jun 1968

    1968-01: 147 contacts, 7 friendly killed1968-02: 159 contacts, 16 friendly killed1968-03: 151 contacts, 6 friendly killed1968-04: 91 contacts, 3 friendly killed1968-05: 124 contacts, 29 friendly killed1968-06: 45 contacts, 2 friendly killed

    717 contacts · 63 friendly killed, 328 wounded · 718 enemy recorded killed · 88 helicopter missions

    With a third battalion and tanks, the Task Force is sent beyond Phuoc Tuy for the first time, as the Tet offensive strikes the towns and Saigon.

  6. 1 Jul 1968 –30 Jun 1969

    1968-07: 59 contacts, 3 friendly killed1968-08: 91 contacts, 8 friendly killed1968-09: 74 contacts, 5 friendly killed1968-10: 96 contacts, 9 friendly killed1968-11: 74 contacts, 7 friendly killed1968-12: 118 contacts, 5 friendly killed1969-01: 147 contacts, 14 friendly killed1969-02: 114 contacts, 3 friendly killed1969-03: 88 contacts, 4 friendly killed1969-04: 133 contacts, 7 friendly killed1969-05: 137 contacts, 6 friendly killed1969-06: 173 contacts, 14 friendly killed

    1304 contacts · 85 friendly killed, 488 wounded · 1073 enemy recorded killed · 432 helicopter missions

    Three battalions work across the region as much as the province: long operations in Bien Hoa and Long Khanh, then back to Phuoc Tuy.

  7. 1 Jul 1969 –30 Nov 1970

    1969-07: 109 contacts, 16 friendly killed1969-08: 143 contacts, 8 friendly killed1969-09: 108 contacts, 3 friendly killed1969-10: 115 contacts, 7 friendly killed1969-11: 141 contacts, 5 friendly killed1969-12: 144 contacts, 10 friendly killed1970-01: 139 contacts, 4 friendly killed1970-02: 140 contacts, 11 friendly killed1970-03: 110 contacts, 6 friendly killed1970-04: 115 contacts, 10 friendly killed1970-05: 117 contacts, 4 friendly killed1970-06: 102 contacts, 7 friendly killed1970-07: 77 contacts, 0 friendly killed1970-08: 55 contacts, 3 friendly killed1970-09: 38 contacts, 0 friendly killed1970-10: 28 contacts, 2 friendly killed1970-11: 40 contacts, 0 friendly killed

    1721 contacts · 96 friendly killed, 671 wounded · 967 enemy recorded killed · 1183 helicopter missions

    As the Americans begin to withdraw, the Task Force works to keep the enemy from the people and to hand the province's security to the South Vietnamese.

  8. 1 Dec 1970 –31 Dec 1971

    1970-12: 43 contacts, 1 friendly killed1971-01: 46 contacts, 3 friendly killed1971-02: 38 contacts, 3 friendly killed1971-03: 104 contacts, 7 friendly killed1971-04: 57 contacts, 2 friendly killed1971-05: 24 contacts, 0 friendly killed1971-06: 62 contacts, 12 friendly killed1971-07: 42 contacts, 1 friendly killed1971-08: 27 contacts, 0 friendly killed1971-09: 31 contacts, 5 friendly killed1971-10: 10 contacts, 0 friendly killed1971-11: 1 contacts, 0 friendly killed

    485 contacts · 34 friendly killed, 158 wounded · 262 enemy recorded killed

    Down to two battalions, the Task Force holds the province while it prepares to leave, and fights one last major action at Nui Le.