Veteran tells of abuse
WHEN Vietnam veteran Foster Barton returned home to Australia, he didn’t go to marches marking his involvement in the war after being verbally abused by members of the public.
The 92-year-old, who also deployed to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in 1947, said he was filled with anger and didn’t attend marches commemorating his service for years.
“They were booing as you would march past and swear at you. It became far too violent and I didn’t march again until 1980,” Mr Barton said.
“It was too upsetting and I’d get far too angry. I used to think they were bloody hooligans.”
Nearly 60,000 Australian men and women served in the Vietnam War between 1962 and 1975, including 521 who lost their lives and more than 3000 who were wounded.
Mr Foster deployed to Vietnam in 1966 as a captain in the army for 12 months with his unit, which was the first Australian contingent on the ground in Vung Tau using the rest and convalescent centre.
“I used to also teach English to priests at the seminary for a while, and the local people were very friendly. I still have sympathy for them,” he said.
“I had Vietnamese friends and I felt sorry for them because we pulled out and allowed the communists to take over the south.”
Mr Foster spoke of the danger that always lurked, and said he was frequently worried for the safety of his unit.
“I was armed with a pistol the whole time I was there,” he said.
The Vietnam War was one of the most divisive and publicised conflicts, with fiercely fought battles such as the Battle of Long Tan and CoralBalmoral. The Battle of Long Tan and Vietnam Veterans Day share the commemorative date of August 18.
A memorial service for Vietnam Veterans Day will be held at the Thuringowa Cenotaph at Riverway tomorrow at 4pm.
The 50th anniversary of the Battle of Binh Ba will also be acknowledged.