Did any RAF or RN aircrew on exchange with USAF, USN fly over Vietnam?
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Did any RAF or RN aircrew on exchange with USAF, USN fly over Vietnam?
Hi All.
Random thought after reading Robert K Wilcox book "Scream of Eagles" regarding the start of TopGun in late 60s early 70s.
Did any RAF or RN crews serve operationally with front line squadrons over Vietnam during the conflict?
Random thought after reading Robert K Wilcox book "Scream of Eagles" regarding the start of TopGun in late 60s early 70s.
Did any RAF or RN crews serve operationally with front line squadrons over Vietnam during the conflict?
Last edited by phantomstreaker; 28th Sep 2012 at 13:46. Reason: change spelling and grammer
No.....as they thought the North Vietnamese were doing quite well without their help!
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SASLess, most of Vietnam lies east of 105 deg East. Under the SEATO the British sphere of influence extended west of 105 deg East and the US east of that meridian.
Obviously were the minor parts of a country crossed that meridian it would be in the sphere of influence of the major part, ie the whole of Vietnam would fall within your sphere.
In late 1962 Indonesia laid claim to parts of Borneo in an attempt to break up the new state of Malaysia. Britain and ANZ forces reinforced Malaysia. In late 1964, when the level of confrontation increased a significant number of additional British and Commonwealth units were deployed there.
In the case of the UK many of these forces were already NATO assigned so there was considerable military stretch and the new Government was intent on reducing our commitments and the concomitant costs.
On 7th December 1964, Patrick Gordon Walker, Foreign Secretary and Dennis Healey the Secretary of State for Defence briefed the US Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Secretary for Defence Robert McNamara on their intention to run down the size of the UK’s armed forces over 10 years as defence spending would be maintained at its present levels. The Secretary of State urged Britain to maintain its position on the world stage as we could do things that the US could not, or did not, want to do.
That we stayed out of the Vietnam war was with the tacit acceptance of your Government as we were already committed to maintain stability in our sphere of influence.
Obviously were the minor parts of a country crossed that meridian it would be in the sphere of influence of the major part, ie the whole of Vietnam would fall within your sphere.
In late 1962 Indonesia laid claim to parts of Borneo in an attempt to break up the new state of Malaysia. Britain and ANZ forces reinforced Malaysia. In late 1964, when the level of confrontation increased a significant number of additional British and Commonwealth units were deployed there.
In the case of the UK many of these forces were already NATO assigned so there was considerable military stretch and the new Government was intent on reducing our commitments and the concomitant costs.
On 7th December 1964, Patrick Gordon Walker, Foreign Secretary and Dennis Healey the Secretary of State for Defence briefed the US Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Secretary for Defence Robert McNamara on their intention to run down the size of the UK’s armed forces over 10 years as defence spending would be maintained at its present levels. The Secretary of State urged Britain to maintain its position on the world stage as we could do things that the US could not, or did not, want to do.
That we stayed out of the Vietnam war was with the tacit acceptance of your Government as we were already committed to maintain stability in our sphere of influence.
That we stayed out of the Vietnam war was with the tacit acceptance of your Government as we were already committed to maintain stability in our sphere of influence.
phantomstreaker,
My father was an exchange pilot (RN) on VF121 during the Vietnam War. He did not ever fly over there and told me that UK aircrews were not authorised to do so due to the clear fact it was not 'our' war.
However, there has been at least one post on this forum (maybe more, can't recall), stating that a small number of aircrew did. Not sure myself. I would have thought my father would have told me as years went by. He is no longer with us so can't ask him.
TN.
My father was an exchange pilot (RN) on VF121 during the Vietnam War. He did not ever fly over there and told me that UK aircrews were not authorised to do so due to the clear fact it was not 'our' war.
However, there has been at least one post on this forum (maybe more, can't recall), stating that a small number of aircrew did. Not sure myself. I would have thought my father would have told me as years went by. He is no longer with us so can't ask him.
TN.
Somebody flew the Saigon Air Attache's Devon around.
We had a visit to Labuan by the UK standarisation unit that had an American on secondment. He was worried about flying in a war zone, (something about his life insurance), but he did do a few circuits on the airfield.
We used to have a lot of HF interference, and presumably vice versa, from American radio traffic. During one particularly difficult time an American voice came up with.
"Get off of this frequency. Don't you know there is a war on."
To this our hero replied.
"Yes I do, but we are winning ours."
We had a visit to Labuan by the UK standarisation unit that had an American on secondment. He was worried about flying in a war zone, (something about his life insurance), but he did do a few circuits on the airfield.
We used to have a lot of HF interference, and presumably vice versa, from American radio traffic. During one particularly difficult time an American voice came up with.
"Get off of this frequency. Don't you know there is a war on."
To this our hero replied.
"Yes I do, but we are winning ours."
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 28th Sep 2012 at 18:20.
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They seem to think yes.
Also
1962-64 GSM Clasp SOUTH VIETNAM The various qualifying periods, between 24 December 1962 and 29 May 1964, were
* 30 days' service in ships operating in inland waters or off the Vietnamese coast.
* 1 day in the service of a land unit.
* 1 operational sortie.
* 30 days' service on an official visit.
Currently authorised medals
You wouldn't issue a medal clasp if it wasn't issued
Rumour Control
They seem to think yes.
Also
1962-64 GSM Clasp SOUTH VIETNAM The various qualifying periods, between 24 December 1962 and 29 May 1964, were
* 30 days' service in ships operating in inland waters or off the Vietnamese coast.
* 1 day in the service of a land unit.
* 1 operational sortie.
* 30 days' service on an official visit.
Currently authorised medals
You wouldn't issue a medal clasp if it wasn't issued
Last edited by NutLoose; 28th Sep 2012 at 18:35.
20 years ago, I worked with an ex-RE officer (who had been med discharged early as a result of a rubgy injury) and his father who was IIRC, a Lt.Col? in the RE at the time, had been a junior officer in the RE in the late 1960's and was on an exchange tour with a Kiwi army engineer unit that was then detached to Vietnam while he was on secondment. He went to Vietnam and did a combat tour with them.
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There was a Royal Signals sergeant serving at Gutersloh in the early 80's who had the South Vietnam GSM; he wouldn't talk about it, which was unusual because you couldn't stop him talking about everything else ....
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Not serving on front line Sqn but I was told that the RAF flew into Saigon in Dec 1966 on Op Sentinel Rose - Uplift of US radar system ex-loan to British forces.
Last edited by November4; 28th Sep 2012 at 20:46.
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AM, interesting that there were only 60 GSM awarded and those to the Australians. There was a good film of the Australian SAS in Vietnam and the same indifference from civilians when they got home.
Now your Royal Sigs sergeant might have been involved with the SAS as they used non-badged specialist personnel and a RS man might have been one.
OTOH if it was self-awarded . . .
Now your Royal Sigs sergeant might have been involved with the SAS as they used non-badged specialist personnel and a RS man might have been one.
OTOH if it was self-awarded . . .
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Originally Posted by Pontius Navigator
OTOH if it was self-awarded . . .
IIRC from a thread on Arrse, there were 70 SVN clasps produced. 68 of these can be accounted for, but the other two recipients...
I also STR from the same thread that between 10-15% of those who received the SVN clasp were Britons serving with the Aussies.
I also STR from the same thread that between 10-15% of those who received the SVN clasp were Britons serving with the Aussies.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
MG, thank you. I particularly liked the can opener on a string, the rubber bands on the zippos, and the omnipresent ice box 