"Bloody awful": Gippsland veteran Max Speedy recalls the Vietnam War and returning home

Max Speedy told the Gippsland Monitor during an interview near his home in Mirboo North that he never expected to go to Vietnam.

In 1961, aged 16, Speedy saw an ad in the Courier Mail seeking on-board navigators - known as observers - to join the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). They would work on new helicopters that were capable of destroying submarines. 

Speedy, who had his sights set on becoming a pilot, applied. In 1967, he got his chance and was accepted into a pilot training course with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

By the time Speedy finished the RAAF training in 1968, Australia had been involved in the Vietnam War for six years.

Take a look at a video clip of Speedy talking about how he ended up spending a year in Vietnam flying missions for the US Army’s 135th Assault Helicopter Company below.

The 135th AHC was a unique division composed of US Army and Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam (RANHFV) personnel.

Speedy was tasked with piloting choppers to ferry troops to and from landing zones in an assault helicopter company.

Take a look at a video clip of Speedy talking about what it was like flying helicopters around the Vietnam jungle below.

Due to the hostility felt by many Australians towards the country’s involvement in the Vietnam War, Australian troops didn’t receive an official Welcome Home parade until 1987. 

When Speedy returned to Sydney in 1969, there was no fanfare.

Take a look at a clip of Speedy talking about how he felt returning to Australia after the war below.