What was the Battle of Long Tan?
The Battle of Long Tan was fought on 18 August 1966 during the Vietnam War, when about 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers held off a much larger force of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops in a rubber plantation.
The battle took place near the Australian base at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy province. D Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was patrolling when it encountered the enemy.
The soldiers fought for hours in heavy monsoon rain. They were supported by New Zealand artillery, Australian artillery, an ammunition resupply by RAAF helicopters and relief by armored personnel carriers.
Losses and recognition
Eighteen Australians were killed and more than 20 wounded. The enemy suffered heavy losses, with at least 245 bodies found after the battle.
The battle became one of the most famous Australian actions of the Vietnam War. The day is now commemorated as Vietnam Veterans Day, held each year on 18 August.
The 2019 film Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan dramatized the battle. A memorial cross stands at the site in Vietnam.