A nine-page account by Captain Roger Donlon of the Nam Dong Battle can be found at https://vva.vietnam.ttu.edu/images.php?img=/images/213/2130413003.pdf. He records that an Australian AATTV member was killed in the battle., noting: “Besides the 12 of us in Team A-726, there were only two other westerners in the camp: Kevin Conway, an Australian warrant officer who represented his country the way we did the United States, and Gerald C. Hickey, an American anthropologist expert on the Vietnamese mountain tribes.”

Australian War Memorial Records notes:
13097 Temporary Warrant Officer Class 2
Kevin George. Conway, Age 35.
Australian Army Training Team Vietnam

Attached to US Special Forces. He was killed in action at Nam Dong, Thua Thien Province on 6th July 1964. He was the first combat casualty. He held the Medal of Knight, National Order of Vietnam , Cross of Gallantry with Palm. He was also awarded a Campaign Service Medal with clasp South Vietnam (this is a very rare award only 68 issued, all to the AATTV). He also was awarded the US Silver Star and the Vietnamese Armed Forces Honour Medal, Kevin Conway was recommended for the Victoria Cross, but this was denied at that time, because Australia was not at war. The Australian Government saw fit not to award Conway with anything, but the South Vietnamese awarded him their highest award being the National Order of Vietnam.

Warrant Officer Class 2, Kevin Conway becomes the first Australian to die as a result of enemy action in South Vietnam.

By Ernie Chamberlain

We all need a few extra smiles.

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You CAN’T Lie To Your Wife – Jeff Allen – 1Funny.com

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Understanding The Wife’s Code – Jeff Allen – 1Funny.com

RAAF aviators, accompanied by a C-27J Spartan aircraft, are participating in Exercise Cope North 2024 in Guam. The deployment of 215 aviators aims to enhance combat readiness and interoperability with US and Japanese forces. Training will occur at various locations, including Anderson Air Force Base, Won Pat International Airport, North West Field, Tinian, and Saipan. Canada, France, and the Republic of Korea are also involved in the exercise.

Australian aviators will operate on non-traditional airfields, gaining hands-on experience in large-scale air force operations. The scenarios focus on agile operational concepts, improving force projection and survivability. RAAF Task Group Commander GPCAPT Kylie Green emphasizes the commitment to developing skilled aviators through collaborative exercises with allies.

Additionally, the RAAF has recently participated in Exercise Sea Dragon 2024, conducting anti-submarine warfare missions alongside partner nations, including the US, India, Korea, and Japan. The exercise enhances tactical experience and collaboration in a maritime environment to ensure effective deterrence for Australia’s maritime security.

A protest by unpaid North Korean factory workers employed illegally in China escalated, leading to the tragic death of a North Korean official visiting from Pyongyang. The employees were rallying against the unauthorized diversion of their wages, which had been unknowingly redirected to North Korea’s Workers’ Party without their consent.

Approximately 15 garment factories’ staff members were owed around $10 million in compensation for labour spanning 4 to 7 years that had gone unpaid. This incident sheds light on the challenges faced by North Korean migrant labourers in China, a situation exacerbated by the violation of United Nations sanctions prohibiting the employment of North Korean citizens.

The fatal incident occurred during a series of “violent protests” that unfolded from January 11 to 15 in Helong, a city situated in Jilin, a northeastern province along the border with North Korea. The visiting official was likely caught up in the wave of unrest, resulting in their death, while three others suffered serious injuries.

This disturbing event underscores the broader issue of North Korean migrant labourers facing exploitation and enduring harsh conditions in China, despite explicit UN sanctions against their employment. The tragic outcome serves as a stark reminder that the hardships faced by these workers persist, challenging the notion of communism as an ideal system for all.

STORY FROM THE MANDARIN PUBLICATION

Alison Frame had a lot of work ahead of her when she became secretary of Department of Veterans’ Affairs just over 12 months ago.

Not only was there a backlog of claims to manage but a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, which began its important work in July 2021.

In this instalment of The Mandarin‘s Secretary’s Sticky Notes series, our annual series in which we ask departmental leaders five questions about their role and what they expect to face this year, Frame explains her biggest priorities and challenges.

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Alison Frame: Leader looking to make a difference for veterans (themandarin.com.au)