1 July 1967
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Helicopter Flight Vietnam (RANHFV) was a unique unit that combined US Army airborne soldiers and RAN helicopter pilots and ground crew. RANHFV formed in July 1967, during the Vietnam War. Its formation was in response to a need for more helicopter pilots to support US and South Vietnamese (ARVN) ground forces.
Australian Fleet Air Arm pilots and ground crew integrated fully into the US Army 135th Assault Helicopter Company (AHC). This became the only integrated US–Australian unit in the Vietnam War.
Known as the Experimental Military Unity (EMU), the unit quickly took on the large flightless bird as an ironic mascot and call sign. The motto of the company also had an Australian ring to it: ‘Get the bloody job done’.
Pilots of the 135th AHC flew US Army Iroquois ‘Huey’ helicopters in 2 configurations: the gunship and the troop transport, or ‘slick’. Initially, the unit flew from the American fire support base Blackhorse, near Xuân Lộc, later moving to the Thai Army’s Camp Bearcat, northeast of Saigon.
In Phước Tuy province and the Mekong Delta, the unit flew:
- troop lift
- combat assault
- support missions.
This included the insertion and extraction of US, Australian and ARVN soldiers into and out of battle. The helicopters and crews often came under heavy ground fire. Four year-long contingents of RANHFV served in Vietnam. The last contingent left Vietnam in June 1971. Nearly 200 RAN personnel served in the unit, five of whom were killed in action.
Between 1966 and 1967, the Australian Government increased the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) commitment to the Vietnam War, and needed more helicopter pilots. In 1968, eight RAN pilots served in No. 9 Squadron RAAF.
Similar to RANHFV pilots and from a base in Nui Dat, the men flew Iroquois helicopters:
- in both gunship and 'slick' configurations
- aerial fire support
- troop lift
- resupply operations.