THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY TRAINING TEAM VIETNAM

           COMPANION OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER

Two members of AATTV were awarded the Distinguished Service Order for
their service Vietnam, namely Col Ted 'Father' Serong and Maj Pat Beale. 
Below are details of those awards as kindly submitted to me from Gordon
Angus MacKinlay.

SERONG Francis Philip     3102 Col, OBE.   DSO 29Oct965, p.10069, Viet-Nam.
Col Serong graduated from the RMC in Dec1937, and has served continuously
since that date.   In Jul1962, in response to an invitation from the
Government of South Viet-Nam an Australian Army Training Team was sent from
Australia to assist in training Viet-Namese in jungle warfare, village
defence and related activities.  Col Serong was chosen as the commander of
the Team.
Subsequently, when the role of the Team was widened to permit members to
accompany the Viet-Namese Forces, by the very nature of the conflict our
members became involved in operations which called for a high standard of
courage, skill and leadership.  Casualties have been sustained by our
forces.
Col Serong's outstanding courage and devotion to duty has set an example
which has been an inspiration to all those who come in contact with him.
He has at all times maintained  close personal touch with members serving
on outstations and during these visits has, on occasions, become involved
in  clashes in which his courage and leadership have contributed significantly
to the success of  operations.
In the two and a half years as Commander, he has maintained the high
tradition of the Australian Army and has brought honour to his country as
its representative.  He is held in the highest regard by the United States
and Viet-Namese Authorities. Col Serong is to relinquish the appointment in
Feb1965.    The first commander of the AATTV.

Born 11Nov1915. Commanded AATTV 27Jul1962-16Feb1965, 30Mar1965-24 Dec1965
and 28Dec1967-30Aug1968, miscellaneous Viet-Nam service 27Dec1966-19
Dec1967.
United States     Legion of Merit, Officer.
South Viet Nam    Officer of the National Order of Viet Nam.
                  Army Distinguished Service Order 1st Class.
                  Gallantry Cross with Palm

BEALE Patrick Wald 42042 t/Maj, MC.DSO  8Sep1970, p.9893, Viet-Nam,
to be dated 13 Aug1970.  "Maj Patrick Wald Beale graduated from the Officer
Cadet School, Portsea, in Dec1958.  He was allotted to the Royal Australian
Regiment, in Malaya and Sarawak.  Later, he served in regimental
appointments in Australia and the Pacific Islands.In Jan1970, he joined the
AATTV and on 1Feb1970 assumed command of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd
Mobile Strike Force in the field.
During the period 1Feb to the 2Apr1970, Maj Beale's bn was employed almost
continuously in the Ben Het and Plei Me areas.  In these and subsequent
operations, he was the only officer available for duty in his bn HQ.  In
these operations, he displayed a high degree of professional ability,
leadership and courage under fire.
On 3Apr1970 he was ordered to air assault his bn into an area 3000 metres
south of the besieged Special Forces camp at Dak Seang in Kontum Province,
to relieve the pressure on the besieged camp.  From the time the bn arrived
in its assembly area until its extraction 11 days later, it was under enemy
fire almost continuously and on many occasions, when almost completely
surrounded, Maj Beale's cool, clear orders and decisive command resulted in
effective air support being provided as close as 30 metres from the hard
pressed defenders.
When gaps appeared in the Battalions perimeter, Maj Beale immediately moved
to the area under heavy enemy mortar fire and co-ordinated the defences of
the adjacent sub-units.
On many occasions he moved ahead of his indigenous soldiers to inspire them
to assault enemy positions.  Maj Beale, by the successful and professional
use of close air support and tactical movement, moved his bn through
continuous enemy positions for 4000 metres to accomplish his mission in 11
days.
Even though one third of his bn became casualties, Maj Beale successfully
maintained his unit as a cohesive fighting force and evacuated his
casualties under extremely difficult conditions.
Throughout his period of continuous operations, Maj Beale's spirit of
aggressiveness, courage under fire and resolute leadership have been an
inspiration to the Americans, Vietnamese and the Australians of his
battalion.  This reflects great credit on himself, the AATTV and the
Australian Army."

MC Lt, Australian Staff Corps, Royal Australian Infantry, 14Dec1965,
p.11681, distinguished services in the Borneo Territories during the period
24Dec1964 to 23Jun1965.  Acting upon unconfirmed intelligence, Lt P.W.Beale
led his platoon through difficult and poorly mapped country to ambush a
likely enemy supply route in the Bau District, Sarawak.  On 26May1965,
leaving the remainder of his patrol in a defensive area, he led a small
reconnaissance party of three men to establish the location of the ambush.
During this reconnaissance which lasted six hours, he had to avoid enemy
parties heard in the area and thereby was prevented from setting the ambush
that day.
Together with 12 members of his platoon, Lt Beale entered the same area on
the 27May and successfully laid out the ambush undaunted by the presence of
the enemy in the area.  Shortly afterwards he ordered the ambush to open
fire on a large enemy party approaching the area, killing at least 15 of
the party.  Having achieved his mission, Lt Beale coolly ordered the 
withdrawal of the ambush party, notwithstanding the heavy volume of enemy
small arms fire which was being directed at it, without loss.
By his personal bravery, inspiring leadership, judgement and skill, Lt Beale
caused the enemy to be dealt a severe reverse and earned for him the
highest respect of his platoon."

United States   Silver Star.
South Viet Nam  Training Service Medal First Class.   Maj Beale belongs to
the AMF and was attached as an adviser to the Jungle Warfare Training
Centre.  Throughout the period of his attachment to the Centre as Training
Co-ordination Adviser, this officer showed himself to be outstanding on
combined task and always closely and sincerely co-operated with members of
the Vietnamese Armed Forces.  In particular, during the period immediately
after the establishment of the Training Centre, there arose many problems
which Maj Beale did everything in his power to overcome and as well, he
whole-heartedly co-ordinated training task in order to develop the Centre
to a satisfactory level.
Apart from that, this officer, by his actions, contributed much to cement
a firm friendship between the Vietnamese and the Australians.  Taking into
account these successes, Maj Beale is extremely worthy of a special award
of the Training Service Medal 1st Class as an appreciation of his work and
as an encouragement.".
Born 8Aug1939.