Battle of Binh Ba

     On their second tour of duty in Vietnam, members of the Fifth Battalion ('The Tigers'), mainly D and B Companies and Pioneer Platoon with support from engineers, gunships, tanks and APCs, engaged a formidable force of enemy in and around Xa Binh Ba. This village was located some 6 kms north of the Australian base camp at Nui Dat.
     At the end of the second day the battle was over and it was time to assess the cost and devastation. Damage to homes and buildings and rubber trees and gardens was naturally quite extensive due to the central focus of the fighting. A number of Australian soldiers were seriously wounded and one had been killed. The number of enemy dead numbered around 100. Today, Binh Ba has grown extensively in area and population since that battle 36 years ago yet despite the time lapse, some scars of the battle still remain today.....some physical and some psychological.
     Bill O'Mara's background image is of B Company's form-up line in 'the rubber' prior to advancing upon the enemy in Binh Ba.

"We were all over Vietnam and I talked to a lot of people.....the only ones
who know how to fight this thing are the Australians and the Viet Cong.
I sent company commanders to train with the Australians....so they could pick up
the skills of those well-trained and careful jungle fighters."

- Lt. Col. David Hackworth in About Face.

In June of 1969,
This Asian war had reached its height;
VC in Phuoc Tuy Province then,
Would try one more major fight.

The 'Tigers' on their second tour,
Would avenge dead 50 mates;
Pawns still were they, in this foreign land,
Allies of the United States.

Viet Cong this time, once again,
They'd give it one more try;
Take on the men from Uc-Dai-Loi,
Succeed or fail and so would die.

A reserve force kept on standby,
Though VC often hit and ran;
Lessons learnt three years before,
After the Battle of Long Tan.

So whilst troops rested at Nui Dat,
Or down in 'Vungers' for a stay,
One group remained on base alert,
Ready to move both night or day.

This force this time, Delta from the Fifth,
Food and 'ammo', stored in their packs,
On 30 minutes notice then,
With 3 tanks and 3 extra 'tracks'.

Another plantation of rubber trees,
North from Nui Dat, 'twasn't far,
Many Catholics lived as peasant folk,
In the hamlets of Xa Binh Ba.

Viet Cong would lure the Uc-dai-loi,
To this place marked on their map;
Ideal locale, this 'friendly' town,
Spring a well-planned deadly trap.

With an RPG at an APC,
From the village as a bait,
A company patrol should then respond,
Cong would just sit tight and wait.

As Reaction Force moved on out,
Enemy diversion in Hoa Long;
Action there both north and south,
Proved Intelligence once more wrong.

Lieutenant Colonel 'Genghis' Khan,
As the C.O. of 5RAR,
Warned all villagers to evacuate,
'Tigers' were heading for Binh Ba.

This place was well-surrounded soon,
D and B would move through in a sweep;
Lines of 'grunts' and armoured vehicles,
Extended wide and back three deep.

One tank was hit and so withdrew,
All three commanders down with wounds;
Degree of fire confirmed VC,
Present in more than just platoons.

Advance was slow as each house searched,
Cong with rockets and AKs;
Firing from open doorways there,
Tracers piercing smoky haze.

Light Fire Team, from up above,
Three gunships, in crisscross lines;
Spraying houses, farms and rubber trees,
Old scars today remain as signs.

Diggers under fire, from some huts,
A network of tunnels underground;
So each tank advanced, then released,
An explosive canister round.

With 5RAR short on personnel,
Some leaders rankless and quite young;
This fight dragged on for two whole days,
Extending north into Duc Trung.

No match against such firepower,
No quarter shown by us or them;
Though Nasho Teeling K.I.A.,
To Brian London a D.C.M.

At last caught in the market place,
Cong surrounded on each side;
When last shot fired, one Aussie gone,
And 90 'Vietnamese' had died.

There's a place deep in that 'rubber' now,
A clearing, where little grows;
'Tis a mass grave hiding ninety bodies,
With I.D.s that no one knows.

And from 'round about, old mothers mourn,
For their sons they've long time lost;
Unknown to them they died somewhere,
Part of their cause's tragic cost.

And some bitter locals remember still,
Along with all 'Tigers' from 5RAR,
How war can cause such horror scenes,
Such as the Battle of Binh Ba.

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