Vietnam War: Battle of Binh Ba – June 1969 – Vietnamese authorities seeking information on NVA/VC grave sites
During the Vietnam War – following the June 1969 engagement at Binh Ba village (in which the 33rd NVA Regiment and the D440 VC Battalion engaged 5RAR/1 ATF armour and RF/PF/PSDF), in excess of 50 NVA/VC dead were buried in a pit/grave dug by a 17 Construction Squadron (RAE) D2 bulldozer near the village school – see AWM photograph P08610.009 below. On 8 June 1969, at the grave site, Major Rex Rowe (1 Fd Sqn RAE) spoke some “simple words of final committal” in the presence of his sappers of 1 Field Squadron and 17 Construction Squadron before a small D2 bulldozer covered the bodies.
Post-War – in 1986, the Vietnamese authorities disinterred bodies from the Binh Ba “school” burial pit, and the recovered remains were reburied in the Baria Cemetery.
Recently, the Vietnamese “Ban Chi Dao (515) Baria-Vung Tau” (“515 Guidance Group Baria-Vung Tau”) began a search for other June 1969-era grave sites/pits in Binh Ba in which NVA/VC bodies were buried following the June 1969 battle. They are seeking information from Australian Vietnam veterans on graves/burials in Binh Ba in June 1969 – additional to the “school site” burial – including any dug by Vietnamese RF, PF, PSDF, RD Cadre etc in Binh Ba.
If possible, Ernie Chamberlain (1969-70 Vietnam veteran – who is providing information to the 515 Guidance Group), would also like to identify and contact the 1 ATF officer – carrying an M-16, (?) in the left foreground of the attached AWM photograph P08610.009.
If you can assist with information, please contact Ernie Chamberlain at: [email protected] .
