Photo by Corporal Neil Ruskin Caption:Soldiers from 1st Combat Service Support Battalion form the bearer party for the remains of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie at Hanoi Airport in Vietnam. *** Local Caption *** DEEP CAPTION- LCPL GILLESPIE REPATRIATION The remains of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, a Medical Assistant, formerly of 8th Field Ambulance, were repatriated from Hanoi to Australia today. LCPL Gillespie was killed when the 9th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) UH1H (Huey) helicopter he was travelling in was shot down over South Vietnam on 17 April 1971. The helicopter was tasked to evacuate a wounded South Vietnamese soldier in the vicinity of the Long Hai hills near Vung Tau, South Vietnam. On impact, the helicopter caught fire. LCPL Gillespie was trapped in the wreckage of the helicopter and could not be rescued because of the ferocity of the fire. Due to the intensity of the fighting, the remains of LCPL Gillespie could not be recovered. In recent times, a group of former servicemen formed an organisation, Operations Aussies Home (OAH), dedicated to finding and repatriating the remains of the six Australian Servicemen left in South Vietnam after Australia withdrew from the country. So far, OAH, in conjunction with the Australian Army, has identified and repatriated three of the missing servicemen.
Photo by Corporal Neil Ruskin Caption: Private Adrian Bustamante and Private Sarah Wassom guard the remains of Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie whose body was lost in Vietnam nearly forty years ago. *** Local Caption *** LCPL GILLESPIE REPATRIATION The remains of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, a Medical Assistant, formerly of 8th Field Ambulance, were repatriated from Hanoi to Australia today. LCPL Gillespie was killed when the 9th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) IHUH (Huey) helicopter he was travelling in was shot down over South Vietnam on 17 April 1971. The helicopter was tasked to evacuate a wounded South Vietnamese soldier in the vicinity of the Long Hai hills near Vung Tau, South Vietnam. On impact, the helicopter caught fire. LCPL Gillespie was trapped in the wreckage of the helicopter and could not be rescued because of the ferocity of the fire. Due to the intensity of the fighting, the remains of LCPL Gillespie could not be recovered. In recent times, a group of former servicemen formed an organisation, Operations Aussies Home (OAH), dedicated to finding and repatriating the remains of the six Australian Servicemen left in South Vietnam after Australia withdrew from the country. So far, OAH, in conjunction with the Australian Army, has identified and repatriated three of the missing servicemen.
Photo by Corporal Neil Ruskin Caption:Soldiers from 1st Combat Service Support Battalion carry the remains of Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie at Hanoi Airport in Vietnam. *** Local Caption *** DEEP CAPTION- LCPL GILLESPIE REPATRIATION The remains of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, a Medical Assistant, formerly of 8th Field Ambulance, were repatriated from Hanoi to Australia today. LCPL Gillespie was killed when the 9th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) UH1H (Huey) helicopter he was travelling in was shot down over South Vietnam on 17 April 1971. The helicopter was tasked to evacuate a wounded South Vietnamese soldier in the vicinity of the Long Hai hills near Vung Tau, South Vietnam. On impact, the helicopter caught fire. LCPL Gillespie was trapped in the wreckage of the helicopter and could not be rescued because of the ferocity of the fire. Due to the intensity of the fighting, the remains of LCPL Gillespie could not be recovered. In recent times, a group of former servicemen formed an organisation, Operations Aussies Home (OAH), dedicated to finding and repatriating the remains of the six Australian Servicemen left in South Vietnam after Australia withdrew from the country. So far, OAH, in conjunction with the Australian Army, has identified and repatriated three of the missing servicemen.
Photo by Corporal Neil Ruskin Caption:The Bearer Party made up of soldiers from 1st Combat Service Support Battalion, Darwin, carry the casket of Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie onto the C130J Hercules at Hanoi Airport. *** Local Caption *** DEEP CAPTION- LCPL GILLESPIE REPATRIATION The remains of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, a Medical Assistant, formerly of 8th Field Ambulance, were repatriated from Hanoi to Australia today. LCPL Gillespie was killed when the 9th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) UH1H (Huey) helicopter he was travelling in was shot down over South Vietnam on 17 April 1971. The helicopter was tasked to evacuate a wounded South Vietnamese soldier in the vicinity of the Long Hai hills near Vung Tau, South Vietnam. On impact, the helicopter caught fire. LCPL Gillespie was trapped in the wreckage of the helicopter and could not be rescued because of the ferocity of the fire. Due to the intensity of the fighting, the remains of LCPL Gillespie could not be recovered. In recent times, a group of former servicemen formed an organisation, Operations Aussies Home (OAH), dedicated to finding and repatriating the remains of the six Australian Servicemen left in South Vietnam after Australia withdrew from the country. So far, OAH, in conjunction with the Australian Army, has identified and repatriated three of the missing servicemen.
Photo by Corporal Neil Ruskin Caption:Widow of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, Carmel Hendrie and daughter Fiona Pike pay their respects to their loved one. *** Local Caption *** DEEP CAPTION- LCPL GILLESPIE REPATRIATION The remains of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, a Medical Assistant, formerly of 8th Field Ambulance, were repatriated from Hanoi to Australia today. LCPL Gillespie was killed when the 9th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) UH1H (Huey) helicopter he was travelling in was shot down over South Vietnam on 17 April 1971. The helicopter was tasked to evacuate a wounded South Vietnamese soldier in the vicinity of the Long Hai hills near Vung Tau, South Vietnam. On impact, the helicopter caught fire. LCPL Gillespie was trapped in the wreckage of the helicopter and could not be rescued because of the ferocity of the fire. Due to the intensity of the fighting, the remains of LCPL Gillespie could not be recovered. In recent times, a group of former servicemen formed an organisation, Operations Aussies Home (OAH), dedicated to finding and repatriating the remains of the six Australian Servicemen left in South Vietnam after Australia withdrew from the country. So far, OAH, in conjunction with the Australian Army, has identified and repatriated three of the missing servicemen.
Photo by Corporal Neil Ruskin Caption:The Bearer Party prepare to lift the casket of Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, to place it on the Royal Australian Air Force plane at Hanoi Airport in Vietnam. *** Local Caption *** DEEP CAPTION- LCPL GILLESPIE REPATRIATION The remains of Lance Corporal (LCPL) John Gillespie, a Medical Assistant, formerly of 8th Field Ambulance, were repatriated from Hanoi to Australia today. LCPL Gillespie was killed when the 9th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) UH1H (Huey) helicopter he was travelling in was shot down over South Vietnam on 17 April 1971. The helicopter was tasked to evacuate a wounded South Vietnamese soldier in the vicinity of the Long Hai hills near Vung Tau, South Vietnam. On impact, the helicopter caught fire. LCPL Gillespie was trapped in the wreckage of the helicopter and could not be rescued because of the ferocity of the fire. Due to the intensity of the fighting, the remains of LCPL Gillespie could not be recovered. In recent times, a group of former servicemen formed an organisation, Operations Aussies Home (OAH), dedicated to finding and repatriating the remains of the six Australian Servicemen left in South Vietnam after Australia withdrew from the country. So far, OAH, in conjunction with the Australian Army, has identified and repatriated three of the missing servicemen.
M60 Found at the Crash Site
Medical Items Found at the Crash Site
Spent Link and Ammunition Found at the Crash Site
Found at the Crash Site
Medical Equipment believed to belong to John Gillespie Found at the Crash Site.
