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Category:
Conflicts/Vietnam |
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SPECIAL AIR SERVICE
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SAS (later
SAS Regiment)
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Who dares wins |
Map of Phuoc Tuy
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Ho Tram Cape area, South Vietnam. 1971.
With sweat bands around their foreheads and faces painted for
camouflage, trooper G. D. Smith (left) and Sergeant Frank O'Farrell
(right) both members of a SAS ten-man fighting ambush patrol moving
through typical jungle vegetation. Note the M16 rifle carried by Trooper
Smith has a modified flash suppressor and an XM148 grenade launcher
fitted under the barrel. Ten-man fighting patrols were usually made up
by combining two five-man reconnaissance patrols. This fighting patrol
was made up of No. 25 patrol and another patrol from 'F' troop, 2
Squadron. (donor D. Barnby) |
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The Special Air
Service SAS
3 SAS Squadron arrived in Vietnam in April
1966 and thereafter the three SAS sabre squadrons rotated yearly until the
withdrawal of 2 SAS Squadron in October 1971. (4 SAS Squadron, raised in
1965, was disbanded to provide reinforcements for the other three
squadrons soon afterwards. On 31 August 1966, approval was given for SAS
Regiment's new establishment of three sabre squadrons, a base squadron and
a signals squadron.) As with the ANZAC battalions, 1 and 2 SAS Squadrons
had a New Zealand troop integrated with them in Vietnam. The traditional
role of the SAS was long range reconnaissance patrols (LRRP), acting as
the ears and eyes of the task force with deep penetration into the enemy's
sanctuaries to collect such battle intelligence as enemy unit
identifications, strengths and capabilities, movements and intentions.
Sometimes "snatch" patrols were mounted with the intention of
capturing a prisoner for interrogation. Operating in four and five man
patrols, the intention was to see without being seen but they frequently
clashed with the enemy and had to fight their way out. Many of their
extractions were "hard", carried out under fire. Soon they were
being used for offensive purposes, setting ambushes and harassing the
enemy in his base areas. 1 ATE commander, Brig Hughes (October 1967 to
October 1968) explained,
"The kill rate achieved by the SAS
was very gratifying... I did not view the SAS as an intelligence
gathering organisation, rather as a reaction force to intelligence
gathered by other means".
Based on top of the Nui Dat feature which
became known as "SAS Hill", the SAS Squadrons built up a
formidable reputation, both in providing accurate information and
accumulating an impressive list of kills. SAS personnel also served with
distinction with AATTV throughout the period it served in Vietnam, the
most notable perhaps being Warrant Officer Ray Simpson VC, DCM. The
majority of SAS with A1TV worked within the US 5th Special Forces sphere
with Mobile Strike Forces or with Provincial Reconnaissance Units (PRU).
With the reversion of AATTV to the training role, SAS personnel instructed
with the LRRP wing at the JWTC in Phuoc Tuy Province.
During the period of just over five
years, some 580 SAS Soldiers served in Vietnam. They conducted 1175
patrols (not including 130 by the NZ SAS) the majority being
reconnaissance, recce-ambush and ambush patrols. Their service in Vietnam
reinforced their reputation as an elite unit of the Australian Army. |
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SAS Hill, Nui
Dat, 2000 |
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