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My father in Vietnam

2K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  korg20000bc 
#1 ·
My father, Gordon Boyd, was in the first lot that went over to Vietnam from Australia in 1965. He was in 1RAR as a bandsman - trombone player. Bandsmen were trained as medics and as such he was allowed to select his own weapons. He picked the Owen gun. WWII vintage but, he said, very reliable. Drop it in mud, sand, dirt or water and you could fire is straight away, no worries.
Because he was in the first lot of regulars he got in a lot of newspaper photos.

I hope you enjoy the photos. He's the big one up the back.






 
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#5 ·
I'm proud of my father so I'm putting some more photos up.

Sorry if it seems self-indulgent.



Young fella here




Gone home


Being inspected by the Director of Music


Graduation




Marching past Sydney Town Hall


In Vietnam - smoke 'em if you got 'em


He told me that the band really impressed the locals




Go to Vietnam to play volleyball - he's on the far left


The sign reads- Jannali Inn The pub with no beer. That was his local watering hole


A lean and a tinnie


Photo from the Australian War Memorial archives. I have that pipe he's smoking!

Inspected by Republic of Korea's president. Dad's 2nd man with trombone



Later in life at the Vietnam memorial, Canberra


Hope you like them.

Matthew
 
#9 ·
"Inspected by Republic of Korea's President". Looks like either that's really Nguyễn Cao Kỳ who was the South Vietnamese Prime Minister...or the president of Korea looked like his twin. Probably more important than the President of Korea...at the time.

Interesting photos. Thanks for posting them.
 
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