US/ANZAC Troops in Vietnam

[Oldboy]

Dear all
Hopefully you do not think my question too stupid!
Did the Americans serve alongside the ANZAC troops in Vietnam or were they separated  by geography etc?
Also, on roughly the same theme - Keith Ainsley (I think that's his name) of Empress was writing a painting guide for USMC in Vietnam to appear in Wargames Illustrated. Did it ever appear? I subscribe but cannot find it.
many thanks
Frank

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Dear Frank,

As far as I understand it, the ANZAC forces were given responsibility for a small area and patrolled on their own.
However, I am sure that they would have been able to call up US or ARVN support if needed.

On larger operations, they would have been integrated into the overall plan.

The WI articles that Keith and Paul from Empress wrote only appeared in PDF editions due to lockdown.
As a subscriber, you should be able to access them.

Regards

Mick

[carlos marighela]

Between March 1965 and April 1966 1 RAR and its attached field battery were under command of the US 173rd Airborne Brigade and fought as a component part of that formation. It was whilst attached to 173rd Airborne Brigade that 1 RAR discovered the Cu Chi tunnel complex.

The arrangement wasn’t entirely satisfactory. The original rationale for Australian involvement was defence of the Bien Hoa airbase and that limited their deployment radius. Added to that, the Australians had a vastly different approach to counter insurgency warfare and were not prepared to be thrown into the sort of meat grinder ops favoured by their allies.

Therefore when 1 RAR were replaced by the expanded 1ATF it was decided to give them their own operational patch, Phuoc Tuy Province, where they stayed for pretty much the rest of the war. There were US troops attached to 1 ATF, most notably a 155mm SP battery and 1ATF occasionally worked with US formations as part of larger II Field Force operations ,notably during Tet and The May 68 Mini Tet, these were limited and usually in areas contiguous to Phuoc Tuy.

The US 11th Armoured Cavalry was based to the north of Phuoc Tuy and occasionally operated into the province and in support of 1ATF operations.

On the whole 1ATF operated on its own, albeit with US air support and often considerable air lift and logistic support. The average digger was quite happy with this arrangement as the tin tanks were a bloody disaster in the field and their concept of operations quite alien to Australian methods.

[Oldboy]

Thank you so much for both answers. 
F

[Fitz]

My platoon sergeants (RNZIR) both served in VietNam and operated for a large part of their deployment out of American bases, but for the most part their operations were separate from US tactical ops. They said they always dreaded moving out across the American face of the base, because regardless of any prior warnings they always got fired on by the Yanks on their way out and back in.

[Poiter50]

The Australians also contributed a squadron of M113s and a small group of Centurions as their own support group when their force was expanded. Their main role was supporting the infantry but casualties were relatively high in the close terrain that is Vietnam. That said, the Infantry appreciated the support that they provided.

[carlos marighela]

My platoon sergeants (RNZIR) both served in VietNam and operated for a large part of their deployment out of American bases, but for the most part their operations were separate from US tactical ops. They said they always dreaded moving out across the American face of the base, because regardless of any prior warnings they always got fired on by the Yanks on their way out and back in.

Curious. I wonder who they served with or to whom they were attached? The vast majority of kiwis served either as part of a component company of an RAR battalion (V or W Coys of their respective battalions), served with 161 Field Battery or formed part of the small NZ SAS component. All of the above typically worked out of Nui Dat, which was most decidedly an Australian base. It's possible they served as part of a training team, the kiwis had a tiny counterpart to AATV.

Nobody seems to have liked operating in close proximity to the Yanks. They were typically ill-disciplined, noisy and trigger happy.

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

The article by Keith was never published by WI due a communication issue with an outgoing editor and the virus lockdown. We are currently about to offer it to another magazine or simply put it on forums and Facebook pages. 

[Poiter50]

Having a painting guide available from your FB page would enhance figures sales IMHO.

The article by Keith was never published by WI due a communication issue with an outgoing editor and the virus lockdown. We are currently about to offer it to another magazine or simply put it on forums and Facebook pages. 

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Having a painting guide available from your FB page would enhance figures sales IMHO.

And for those of us not on Facebook, on your website please.

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

Don't worry we will sort something out someway. Its too good to loose. 

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Don't worry we will sort something out someway. Its too good to loose. 

Excellent.