Many/most yanks I know are unaware that Aussies (eg. my Dad in B Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment) fought in the Vietnam War. Below is the next article on post-WWII armoured vehicle matters.
This follows US Soldiers in Vietnam Built own Deadly Gun Trucks of March 7, 2021.
Click on Video HERE courtesy Australian War Memorial.
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Below the video is a part description of the Battle of Binh Ba:
“...The Battle of Binh Ba was fought in early June 1969 in central Phuoc Tuy Province in a village located 5 kilometres north of the Australian headquarters at Nui Dat. Early in the morning of 6 June an Australian Centurion tank and an armoured vehicle had been fired on by a RPG-7 from a house as they passed through the village of Binh Ba. The village was occupied by a strong combined force of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army regulars.
An Australian force of infantry and armour (the tanks and M113 APCs) moved in
after awaiting approval from the local district chief to enter the village.
Extensive efforts were made to clear the village of civilians. Fierce
close-quarter fighting ensued, with the Centurion tanks providing support with
their formidable firepower (20 pounder (84mm)
main gun, .50 cal (useful for shooting through rubber trees) and .30 cal
machine guns).
The enemy soldiers kept undercover, firing from doorways and windows, then jumping into underground bunkers the villagers had built to protect themselves from attack. By the end of the second day most of the enemy were either dead or had withdrawn. Casualties on the enemy side were heavy - over 100 dead - while one Australian was killed (Private Wayne Teeling).
The town was severely damaged during the battle.
Immediately after the battle, Australians were sent to distribute food and aid
and to begin work on rebuilding. Regrettably, some civilians were killed during
the fighting.
The Battle of Binh Ba was one of the major
engagements fought by Australians in Vietnam, and one of the few big battles to
be fought in an urban setting - something the Australians generally tried to
avoid.”
See full description below Australian War Memorial Video.
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Separately: This is a more detailed description of the Battle of Binh Ba, including details of the Australian infantry, and other units, involved.
Lest We Forget
2 comments:
Centurions are great MBTs in their days but they are ill suited for Vietnam's rice paddies (too heavy).
KQN
Hi KQN
Re the Centurion's suitability in Vietnam - I think they did well and saved many infantrymen's and tankmens' (good armour) lives.
On rice paddies much depends on the Centurion's relative ground pressue (in pounds per square inch = PSI)
Looking at https://www.mathscinotes.com/2016/06/tank-track-ground-pressure-examples/ of other key 1940-50s tanks:
in comments a T-34/76 (considered the ideal in snow-slush and mud) PSI is 9.1
In Table 1.
- a T-34/85 is 10.5
- later on a T-54 is 11.9
- M48 is 11.3
and
a Centurion (A.41) tank PSI is 11.
Taken from http://www.wwiiequipment.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60:centurion-cruiser-tank-a41&catid=37:cruiser-tanks&Itemid=56
So the Centurion compares quite well.
Vietnam's wet season and those rice paddies not ideal. But Vietnam in the dry season
and on relatively stable roads/causeways in any season might be OK for Centurions.
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If any Vietnam tank veterans are reading this (Aus, US or NVA) even Anonymous comments are welcome.
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