(Ebook) The Battle of Long Tan by Peter FitzSimons ISBN 9780733646638, 0733646638

(Ebook) The Battle of Long Tan by Peter FitzSimons ISBN 9780733646638, 0733646638

In Contact. Wait One. Out. 1631 Hours: Enemy left flank. Could be serious. 1701: Enemy ... penetrating both flanks and to north and south. Surrounded.1702: Running short. Require drop through trees urgently. Position in danger of being overrun. Withdrawal Impossible. It was the afternoon of 18 August 1966, and 'D' Company 6RAR, were four kilometres east of the Task Force Base at Nui Dat, on patrol in a thick rubber plantation, not far from the abandoned village of Long Tan. The day before their base had suffered a mortar attack, now they were out looking around. Then - just when they were least expecting it - they found exactly what they were looking for. Under withering small arms fire, RPGs and Mortars, an officer and most of his men were killed almost at once and others were grievously wounded, while the rest fought on, badly outnumbered as they remained under sustained and increasingly heavy attack. For hours these men fought for their very lives against this onslaught. The skies opened up and the rain fell as ferocious mortar and automatic fire continued to keep them all pinned down and cut off. Snipers shot at close quarters from the trees that surrounded them on all sides. At their base artillery batteries knew it was now up to them now but, running low on ammunition, they fired, loaded, fired as Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army forces just kept up the pressure. Their only hope was if Armoured Personnel Carriers could reach them in time, before they were all wiped out. The low cloud and thunderstorms meant air support was out. Nonetheless a daring helicopter resupply mission was suggested by 9 RAAF Squadron - but who would want to fly that? The odds against this small force were some said in the base insurmountable.  Illustrated.