Sir Peter Cosgrove reflects on the Vietnam War
As part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK CVO MC (Retd) reflects on his experiences of the Vietnam War as a young officer.
Sir Peter began his Army career as an officer cadet at the Royal Military College – Duntroon in 1965.
‘All of us were breaking our necks to get away on operational service,’ he says. ‘You wanted to test yourself out. Looking back, it was a fairly immature attitude, but understandable. When we graduated in 1968, a lot of us, soon, found ourselves in Vietnam.’
Sir Peter served in Vietnam from August 1969 to July 1970 and was awarded the Military Cross for an engagement he took part in. He discusses how fighting in Vietnam was very demanding.
‘The vegetation, the terrain is so constricted that it requires enormous skill,’ he says. ‘Self discipline [is essential] … You tend to work in a way that is almost totally silent … until combat. And then the silence becomes an overwhelming cacophony – explosions, small arms, people shouting … you go from apprehension to the realisation of mortal danger.’
Sir Peter went on to become Chief of the Defence Force and Governor-General of Australia.
‘I went on to a very long career after Vietnam,’ he says. ‘But everything I did rested on that experience. And I always enjoyed the opportunity to further be responsible for Australian men and women in uniform as I got more senior.
‘On the 50th anniversary we look back on the entire experience, back to 1962 until January the 11th 1973 when the Whitlam government through the Governor-General proclaimed that this was the end of our combat operations … all that’s perfectly legitimate. But the demonstrations, the abuse from time to time, heaped upon the men and women who’d [served], who’d seen their comrades die, this was most unfortunate.
‘Sixty thousand went off to that war. 523 were killed directly … about 35,000 remain alive today. I like to think that on the 18th of August, Australians will pause and say “thank you”.’
Read more about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War on DVA’s Anzac Portal.