Compiled by Archbishop Dr. Peter McInnes, AICA Primate, RSL Chaplain, www.aicaustralia.com

The Vietnam Veteran was welcomed home officially on 3 October 1987 in Sydney. I want to welcome those veterans present, those whom attended to the wounded during their service and on their return home and the families at home. The Vietnam Veterans were widely belittled, abused and harassed along with their families on their return home. Even cowards attacked the women and children of veterans while the men were serving their country. Mostly veterans were not welcomed, understood or appreciated by the misinformed, as were veterans of previous wars such as WWI and WWII. Although many veterans are physically here, some may still be at war mentally, as they never left the Vietnam conflict in the recesses of their minds.

They went alone and returned feeling alone, alienated and aggrieved. Some questioned why they survived and were not killed along with their mates. This often results in self-condemnation, which can lead to suicide. The “no trust” attitude developed, which results in treating everyone as the enemy, just like they were trained. They returned home very different from when they first left to serve in Vietnam, unaccepted and rejected by many for their service. They felt naked without their weapon, which became a lifeline during their service in combat. They were made to feel out of place, not able to fit in nor feel comfortable in society. On returning home, sadly some are still searching for the place they left behind, before Vietnam. Many left like boys, but came home hardened men, many returned different mentally, physically and spiritually; than when they left Australia for the Vietnam conflict.

They experienced such incidents as:

• The Battles of Long Tan, where an ambush with impossible odds against our blokes was the near destruction of D445, which compromised mainly of North Vietnamese Army and some local irregulars. This resulted in a U.S. Presidential Citation for D Company 6 R.A.R.
• Battles in Ho Bo woods, the Iron War zoned Triangle, which resulted in 1 R.A.R. receiving a Meritorious Unit Citation with 173rd Airborne Brigade.
• Battles of Coral, Balmoral and Tet ’68.
• Many Citations for the Australian Army Training Unit.

When Politicians compromise, soldiers loose heart, the motivation for serving originally. We are here to remember and honour the 520 KIA, 4 MIA, 2398 WIA and all those whom served during the Vietnam conflict.

“From the fight zone to the twilight zone on a bird of paradise.”

I say again, Welcome Home Lads, Welcome Home! Let us pray.

Lord, we pray that You continue to bless Australia. We ask that You will lift up strong Christian leaders to protect our values and speak out against those things that would turn us away from You. We pray that our families and society will not disintegrate for want of knowing You, but that we will draw ever closer to You and Your Word. Lord, we pray that the generations to follow will be faithful to You and Your authority. We ask that the great nation for whom our brave predecessors fought, bled and died will not be forsaken in todays’ era of political correctness and selfish ambition. Lord, we place Australia in Your Hands. Amen.