The Welsh Army in Vietnam (Welsh History Post Glyndwr)

Vietnam 1967 - 1971
By the mid 1960s American dominance of Welsh politics was widespread. The Welsh flirtation with Communism had opened many peoples eyes to the Red Threat. Thus when the US began operations to support the South Vietnamese the Senedd made a point of being very vocal in support of the Americans. This continued from 1962 to 1967 when, following a request from the American Ambassador to Wales, the Welsh Defence Minister announced the deployment of Troops, Aircraft and Navy units to South East Asia. Immediately this cuased trouble. Both in the Senedd, from those Communists remaining, and with the Welsh public. The war was not popular in the US or across the water in Britain. Minor demonstrations were rife throughout the BFGs deployment to the area.

Welsh Army Units Deploy
On the 2nd of July 1967 it was announced that the Army would deploy to Phuoc Tuoy Province in Vietnam to support Austrailian and American units there. Initially it was announced that a Battalion would rotate every six months but this changed to one unit, 1st Battalion the Welsh Border Regiment, which would deploy in name only and troops would be drawn from all Infantry units in the Army for tours of duty. Support units, armour, air and other formations would, however, go as formed units. On the 8th of July 1967 the first units arrived in Vung Tau.

A Coy 1 WBR - M16,M60, M79

C Troop - M113 APC, Ferret CVRW

2 Flight 56 Sqwn LAFG - Bell UH1D

76 Troop Royal Welsh Engineer Regt

12 Platoon Welsh Signals Corps