- SURNAME
Petersen
- FORENAME
Arthur Barry
- UNIT
AATTV
- RANK
Captain
- NUMBER
13668
- AWARD
Military Cross, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry
- PLACE
South Vietnam 1965
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 08.02.1935, Mackay, Queensland, Australia
home town Sarina, Mackay, Queensland
father Arthur Mostyn Petersen of 93 Ashgrove Avenue, Ashgrove, Queensland
13.07.1954 enlisted
AATTV 27.08.1963 - 14.10.1965
later 2 Royal Australian Regiment (Major) 29.04.1970 - 01.06.1971
award Mention in Despatches (Vietnam 1971)
other medals mentioned below
died 28.02.2019, Bangkok, Thailand due cancer
- Military Cross (1965)
- Australian Active Service Medal (Vietnam, Malaysia, Malaya)
- General Service Medal
- Campaign Service Medal
- Vietnam Medal
- Australian Service Medal
- Australian Defence Force Service Medal
- Australian National Medal
- Australian Defence Medal
- Australian Anniversary of national Service medal
- South Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two silver stars)
- South Vietnam Medal
- Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal
CITATION:
Military Cross : Captain PETERSEN graduated from the Officer Cadet School at PORTSEA on the seventeenth of December 1954. Since his graduation, Captain PETERSEN has served as a platoon commander with National Service Trainees and as a platoon commander with the First Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. Captain PETERSEN's service with the First Battalion Royal Australian Regiment included three years service in MALAYA from 1959 to 1961. Captain PETERSEN was a company second-in-command with the First Recruit Training Battalion at KAPOOKA until his assignment to the Australian Army Training Team VIETNAM in August 1963.
Captain PETERSEN'S assignment as a member of the Australian Army Training Team VIETHAM, involves advice on the administration, training and operational employment of MONTAGNARD personnel in DARLAC province. He was so occupied when the MONTAGNARD Revolt of September 1964 broke out.
During this revolt, in which several thousand heavily armed MONTAGNARD soldiers ware deployed against the provincial capital of BAN ME THUOT, Captain PETERSEN was required to prepare for the initial contact with the rebel tribesmen. On the afternoon of the twentieth of September 1964, the first day of the revolt, he conducted a small party of intermediaries to the hamlet of BOUN ENOU. This involved passing through a prepared ambush. Having detected: this, he dismounted from his vehicle located the ambush commander, and persuaded him to permit the party's onward movement. He was then required to approach the rebel stronghold and obtain admittance for the party. This he did, in gathering darkness and under conditions of extreme sensitivity involving a high degree of personal risk. Having gained admittance, by his own powers of persuasion he brought together the local leaders for talks with the intermediaries.
The talks were successful, and paved the way for the eventual peaceful return of the MONTAGNARD personnel to their proper duties. This most fortunate outcome is substantially attributable to the personal influence of Captain PETERSEN, and to the high degree of courage displayed by him in effecting the necessary contacts.
Place : Saigon, South Vietnam
Date : November 1964
Captain PETERSEN'S assignment as a member of the Australian Army Training Team VIETHAM, involves advice on the administration, training and operational employment of MONTAGNARD personnel in DARLAC province. He was so occupied when the MONTAGNARD Revolt of September 1964 broke out.
During this revolt, in which several thousand heavily armed MONTAGNARD soldiers ware deployed against the provincial capital of BAN ME THUOT, Captain PETERSEN was required to prepare for the initial contact with the rebel tribesmen. On the afternoon of the twentieth of September 1964, the first day of the revolt, he conducted a small party of intermediaries to the hamlet of BOUN ENOU. This involved passing through a prepared ambush. Having detected: this, he dismounted from his vehicle located the ambush commander, and persuaded him to permit the party's onward movement. He was then required to approach the rebel stronghold and obtain admittance for the party. This he did, in gathering darkness and under conditions of extreme sensitivity involving a high degree of personal risk. Having gained admittance, by his own powers of persuasion he brought together the local leaders for talks with the intermediaries.
The talks were successful, and paved the way for the eventual peaceful return of the MONTAGNARD personnel to their proper duties. This most fortunate outcome is substantially attributable to the personal influence of Captain PETERSEN, and to the high degree of courage displayed by him in effecting the necessary contacts.
Place : Saigon, South Vietnam
Date : November 1964
WEB LINKS:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7623641 (Military Cross)https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1285562&c=VIETNAM
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/778105
https://www.smh.com.au/national/barry-petersen-is-a-vietnam-war-hero-with-a-difference-20101112-17r9r.html
https://captbarrypeterson.weebly.com/
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