In March 1966, the Australian Cabinet decided to increase the Australian commitment in South Vietnam, from one battalion and assorted units under American general control, to a full Australian Task Force.
From its base at Nui Dat, the Australian Task Force was given the job of securing the province of Phouc Tuy, south east of Saigon.
By June 14, 1966, Nui Dat was virtually fully operational and contained its two Royal Australian Regiment battalions - five and six RAR.
The successful establishment of the Australians had major implications for the enemy.
The local villages of Long Tan and Long Phuoc were cleared and denied to the enemy as bases. Throughout July and up to mid August 1966, 5RAR and 6RAR carried out successful searches of villages to the north and west of Nui Dat.
The main north - south road through the province was re-opened, giving the northern villagers safe access to the provincial capital of Ba-ria. However, intelligence reports began to indicate a build up of enemy forces in the province and it seemed clear that a challenge to the Australian presence was imminent.
The expected response materialised at 2.43am on August 17. For 22 minutes the Viet Cong barraged Nui Dat with mortar bombs and recoilless rifle rounds.
The Australian forces responded with a bombardment from One Field Regiment.
Twenty-two Australians were wounded, seven vehicles damaged and 21 tents destroyed. The base was clearly vulnerable and as morning broke, patrols from 6RAR were sent out to discover the Viet Cong mortar positions.
On the afternoon of August 18, D Company, with 125 men, began a sweep to the east of the base.
Just before 4pm, moving through a rubber plantation north of Long Tan, 11th Platoon encountered a small detachment of Viet Cong.
Within minutes, 11th Platoon found itself virtually surrounded and pinned down by intense enemy mortar, machine gun and rifle fire. To make matters worse, the afternoon monsoonal rain came down in torrents, reducing visibility.
Despite a supporting artillery barrage from Nui Dat, 11th Platoon was unable to extricate itself from the position and it seemed like only a matter of time before it might be over-run.
Major Smith commanding D Company, ordered 10th Platoon forward to assist, but heavy fire forced the soldiers to ground and they were unable to reach their comrades.
Smith then ordered 12th Platoon around the side of the action, but it was also attacked, along with Smith's own headquarters.
An attempted air support strike failed due to the rain and low cloud and ammunition was running low. Smith realised his entire company was in imminent danger of annihilation.
At Nui Dat, efforts were being made to relieve the embattled company. Two RAAF helicopters took off with a re-supply of ammunition and, flying low over the tree tops, they soon reached Long Tan and pushed out ammunition boxes wrapped in blankets, directly over D Company.
By 6.15pm the men of D Company had managed to regroup with their company commander. Major Smith organised a defence as wave upon wave Viet Cong rushed D Company.
At this point it was the artillery support from Nui Dat which was decisive in preventing disaster.
From Nui Dat, A Company 6RAR left the base in Armoured Personnel Carriers from three Troops, one APC Squadron.
One kilometre short of D Company, they encountered a strong force of Viet Cong and Two Platoon dismounted and engaged the enemy, supported by the machine guns of the APCs.
By 7.10pm, just as it was getting dark and having fought their way through further enemy detachments, the relief force reached D Company.
Thirty members of B Company, who had been ordered to turn around on there way back to Nui Dat, also reached D company on foot.
The Viet Cong, who had been massing for a final thrust at D company, withdrew and the battle field fell silent.
Initially it was thought the task force had been subjected to a humiliating mauling at the hands of the local Viet Cong forces. D Company had lost 17 killed, and 19 wounded, one third of its strength.
Total Australian casualities for the battle were 17 killed, one later of wounds and 24 wounded.
However, as the battlefield was searched at daylight it became clear that the Australians had achieved a stunning victory. A total of 245 enemy were eventually discovered dead and many more wounded had withdrawn when the engagement was broken off.
A captured diary from a Viet Cong commander placed the level of Viet Cong soldiers dead as high as 500. It has since been estimated that D Company confronted at Long Tan some 2500 enemy troops.
D company became only the second army unit in Australian military history to be awarded a United States Presidential unit citation.
Fifteen members of the Australian task force were given Commonwealth awards for their courage and conduct during the battle, including the Military Cross, awarded to D Company's commander Major Harry Smith.
To honour those who died at Long Tan, 6RAR erected a concrete cross in the rubber plantation where the men of 11th Platoon made their initial stand.
Today the cross is on display in the Dong Nai province museum at Bien Hoa and a replica cross marks the site, placed there by the Long Dat district committee.
However, all Vietnam veterans did not go to Long Tan and many felt left out when the day was called Long Tan day.
So it was renamed Vietnam Veterans day, so all veterans could remember on the August 18 from then on.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff
Twitter