Battle of Gang Toi
Part of Vietnam War
Date November 8, 1965 Location Gang Toi Hills, South Vietnam Result Viet Cong Victory
Combatants
Viet Cong	Australia
Commanders
Unknown	John Healy
Casualties
Unknown	6 wounded 2 missing presumed dead

The Battle of Gang Toi was fought on November 8, 1965. It was one of the first engagements between Australian and Viet Cong troops during the conflict. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... Image File history File links FNL_Flag. ... A Viet Cong soldier, heavily guarded, awaits interrogation following capture in the attacks on Saigon during the festive Tet holiday period of 1968. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders unknown battalion commander Bui Dinh Dam John Paul Vann Strength 350 1,400 Casualties 18 dead 39 wounded 83 dead 108 wounded The Battle of Ap Bac was a small-scale action early in the Vietnam War that resulted in the first... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants Viet Cong United States South Vietnam Casualties U.S casualties: 8 killed, 109 wounded and 20 aircraft destroyed or damaged. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Casualties 85 Dead 49 ARVN dead 5 American dead The Battle of Song Be was a major action between the NLF (Viet Cong) and ARVN, the South Vietnamese army. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Le Trong Tan Cao Van Vien, Charles W. Williams Strength 1,500 10,000 Casualties 700+ estimated KIA ARVN: 800+ killed U.S: 7 killed, 15 wounded and 13 missing The Battle of Dong Xoai was a battle that occurred during the... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Nguyen Huu An Col. ... Operation Hastings was an American military operation in the Vietnam War. ... 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Operation Cedar Falls was conducted by the U.S. and South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War on January 8 – January 26, 1967 to rout out Viet Cong base camps in the so-called Iron Triangle. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Korea Commanders Unknown commander Captain Jin-Kyung Chung Strength 2,400+ 294 Casualties 200+ killed and 2 captured 15 killed and 33 wounded The Battle of Tra Binh Dong was probably the most famous battle fought by the South Korean Marines during the Vietnam... Operation Junction City was one of the largest airborne operations since Market Garden in the latter half of World War II, and one of the largest operations of the Vietnam conflict. ... Combatants NVA United States Casualties 947 killed 455 killed, 455 wounded The Battle of Hill 881 was a battle between soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army and U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders Lt. ... 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The battle occurred when the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, struck a Viet Cong bunker system in the Gang Toi Hills while in support of Operation Hump. Soldiers from 1 RAR arive in the Solomon Islands in December 2004 Members of 1RAR undergoing a training exercise. ... Combatants United States Australia North Vietnam Commanders 173rd Airborne Brigade Viet Cong Strength  ? around 1200 Casualties US 48 killed many wounded 0 MIA 403 On 5 November 1965 the 173rd Airborne Brigade initiated Operation Hump, a reconnaissance in force in an area about 15 miles north of Bien Hoa. ...

Summary

In June of 1965 the 1RAR arrived at Bien Hoa, South Vietnam, where it was placed under the command of the United States 173d Airborne Brigade. Bien Hoa is a city in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) east of Ho Chi Minh City, to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1. ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... The United States 173d Airborne Brigade serves in Vicenza, Italy. ...

On November 5, 1965, the 1RAR joined the 1st/503d Battalion of the 173d Airborne Brigade in Operation Hump, a routine search and destroy mission in War Zone D about 40km from Saigon. While the 1st Royal Australian Regiment were deployed from the south of the Dong Nai River, American units were conducting a helicopter assault up north. November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 56 days remaining. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ...

During the initial engagements it had became obvious that a large Viet Cong regiment were in the area, outnumbering the combined American and Australian forces. On November 8 as American soldiers were closing in on Hill-65, A Company of the 1RAR were pushing deeper into the Gang Toi Hills. Suddenly the leading Australian platoon were pinned down by VC fire when they struck a well-prepared and strongly-defended Viet Cong bunker system. Five Australian soldiers were immediately wounded and all managed to withdrew, except for Lance Corporal Richard "Tiny" Parker. November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ...

Major John Healy, A Company commander, ordered another platoon to attack the enemy bunker from the flank. As the Australians continued the advance they were caught in the open under intense enemy fire, this time Private Peter Gillson was hit by a burst of machinegun fire when he stepped around the roots of a tree. Under heavy fire, Sergeant Colin Fawcet attempted to pulled Private Gillson out but was forced to move back without success.

At risk of being overwhelmed and under heavy enemy fire, Major John Healy was forced to break contact and withdraw leaving behind two Australian casualties. The decision to withdraw without evacuating the two Australians had caused much anger and sadness in the unit. A full battalion attack on Gang Toi Hills was planned but was never carried out.

Operation Aussies Home

Operation Aussies Home was set up by veteran Jim Bourke with the purpose of finding the two missing Australians- Lance Corporal Richard "Tiny" Parker and Private Peter Gillson.

External Link

• Australian MIAs of the Vietnam War – "missing in action" or "no known grave"?
• Search for Aussies killed in Vietnam
• ARMY SUPPORT TO OPERATION AUSSIES HOME