Out of Sight, Out of Mind: The Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam

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During the Vietnam War, the perceived absence of an enemy threat was the prime factor that influenced the Australian government's decision to exclude from benefits and entitlements those who served on the country's HMAS Sydney, HMAS Jeparit, and HMAS Boonaroo, as well as the warships that escorted them into the war zone. It was a flawed decision made on the basis of fallacious information, and it was the cause of much bitterness. While the HMAS Sydney and her escort were at anchor, not only were they vulnerable to an enemy well versed in unconventional guerrilla warfare, but all who served on these ships were also exposed to highly toxic herbicides used to defoliate the nearby landscape - the residue of this procedure flowed into the surrounding rivers and streams. Due to the processes used at the time for the production of potable water, the dioxins contained in the distillate were enriched, thereby making them much more potent and deadly. This book highlights the vital part played by HMAS Sydney and other units of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in the support of land-based forces in Vietnam. The book identifies and dispels various myths which have developed around the importance of sea transport and logistical support, and it argues for a new appreciation of the service of the 13,000 members of the RAN who participated in this vitally important task. Many of the book's illustrations were taken by serving military personnel, which gives them an immediacy and poignancy lacking in official photographs.

Author Bio

John Carroll was apprenticed to the Department of Navy in 1959 at the age of 15 to learn and exercise the art and occupation of Shipwright. In 1962 he volunteered for service in the RANR, transferring to full-time service in the RAN in 1966. He then served as a naval shipwright in HMAS Sydney 1967, posted by helicopter to HMAS Yarra 196768, returning to Sydney 1972-73. Both ships were deployed on operational service in Vietnamese waters during these periods. He was admitted as an Associate of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects in 1971, and then as an Associate Member in 1989. He is a graduate of Hawthorn Institute of Education (Melbourne University), and Monash University. He was admitted to the Australian Psychological Society as a Member in September 1993, and was also admitted as a Member of the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology. This book is based on his third doctoral dissertation.