D Company, Sixth Battalion,

Royal Australian Regiment

The United States Presidential Unit Citation ( ARMY )

The Citation is represented by the Blue Pennant on the Regimental Colour and by the blue rectangle in a gold frame which is worn above the right hand breast pocket at all times by those who took part in the battle, and by others whilst actually serving with the unit.
The Citation was awarded by the President of the United States of America on 30 May 1968 and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gave formal approval for the acceptance and unrestricted wearing of the Distinguished Unit Citation on 13 June 1968.

Citation for D Company, Sixth Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States and as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, I have today awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for extraordinary heroism to D Company, Sixth Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, The Australian Army.
 

D Company distinguished itself by extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations against an opposing armed force in Vietnam on August 18, 1966. While searching for Viet Cong in a rubber plantation north-east of Ba Ria, Phuoc Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam, D Company met and immediately became engaged in heavy contact. As the battle developed, it became apparent that the men of D Company were facing a numerically superior force. The platoons of D Company were surrounded and attached on all sides by an estimated reinforced enemy battalion using automatic weapons, small arms and mortars. Fighting courageously against a well armed and determined foe, the men of D Company maintained their formations in a common perimeter defence and inflicted heavy casualties upon the Viet Cong. The enemy maintained a continuous, intense volume of fire and attacked repeatedly from all directions. Each successive assault was repulsed by the courageous Australians. Heavy rainfall and a low ceiling prevented any friendly close air support during the battle.

After three hours of savage attacks, having failed to penetrate the Australian lines, the enemy withdrew from the battlefield carrying many dead and wounded, and leaving 245 Viet Cong dead forward of the defence position of D Company.

The conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity and indomitable courage of D Company were in the highest tradition of military valour and reflect great credit upon D Company and the Australian Army.

Link to Long Tan History

Link to 6RAR history