Long Tan vets to be awarded bravery medals
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Top bravery medals will finally be awarded to three Australian officers from the Vietnam War, more than 40 years after the battle of Long Tan.
The men were recommended for the medals after the 1966 battle but had them downgraded. The medals were renamed as gallantry medals in 1991.
Eighteen Australians died when 100 soldiers led by Major Harry Smith fought more than 1,000 troops from North Vietnam.
An independent review has called for the reinstatement of the Star of Gallantry for Major Smith and the Medal of Gallantry for two of his commanders.
Veterans' Affairs Minister Alan Griffin says the reason the men of D-Company did not get the awards in the first place may never be known.
"Certainly recommendations were made at the time, they went up the chain of command in Vietnam but by the time they came out the other end they'd changed," he said.
"There's been lots of stories and views about what actually occurred, I guess the important point and what we should focus on today is ... the gallantry of these men but also D-Company as a whole is [to] be duly recognised finally."
Major Smith says the long fight to have the medals awarded has been worthwhile.
"My soldiers, mostly national servicemen, performed over and above what was required of them that day, there were guns and bombs and rockets going everywhere, everybody did exactly what they were trained to do," he said.
"They fired their weapons, they ran their mates along side and they helped each other, they helped get the wounded back to the aid post, and that's why I've been pushing to get their gallantry awards for them."
Editor's note: This story originally suggested the men were recommended for gallantry medals in 1966, although the gallantry medals were only created in 1991. The story was clarified on August 15, 2008, to say that the medals were renamed as gallantry medals in 1991.
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