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Operations by 1 ATF
increased in size and in distance from Nui Dat during 1967. Then during
the period 24th January - 2nd March 1968, Operation
COBURG was conducted in Bien Hoa Province some 50 kilometres from Nui Dat.
It was the most extensive operation independently undertaken by 1 ATF
since its arrival in South Vietnam and it involved the main headquarters
of 1 ATF being away from its base longer than on any previous occasion.
Photo 6.6 - 104 Signal
Squadron reconnaissance group for Operation COBURG. From left - Sig
Robert Parkyns, ?, Maj Norm Munro, ?, Sig Geoffrey Molineaux and ? (1968)
Photo 6.7 - 104 and 110
Signal Squadron vehicles at start point Nui Dat for deployment on
Operation Toan Thang. Note first truck (21/2 ton)
AN/MTC-7 and AN/MGC-17 Shelters,
second truck (5 ton) AN/MRC-69 Shelter (April 1968)
The lessons learned by
104 Signal Squadron from this operation were put to good use in Operation TOAN THANG 25th April - 5th June 1968. This
operation in turn exceeded COBURG in size and distance from Nui Dat (80
kilometres).
Initially 1 ATF operated
with two battalions about 15 kilometres east of Long Binh on Highway One
in Long Khan Province and one battalion in the Nui Dat area in Phuoc Tuy
Province. HQ 1 ATF (Main) was established at a US Army base BEARCAT and
the communications were much the same as for Operation COBURG.
On 12th May
1968 major elements of 1 ATF were airlifted into an area north of Saigon
eventually to be known as Fire Support Patrol Base (FSPB) Coral. This was to
intercept the movement of 7 NVA Division to Saigon and cut off its
withdrawal. The advance party of HQ 1 ATF included Major Norm Munro,
OC 104 Signal Squadron and 5 other ranks from the Squadron. This TF HQ
advance party had to establish a task force headquarters area.
The party was landed some
1500 metres from the proposed headquarters location and so the small
signals element had to manpack its equipment which was to operate
initially as a substation on the task force command net. This was no mean
task as the equipment included an RT-524 radio (the receiver/transmitter
of the vehicular borne AN/VRC-12 series VHF equipment), 150 amp hour
batteries, 300 watt charger, RC-292 antenna, AN/GRA-39 remote control unit
and an AN/PRC-25 radio. It was an effort to prove well worthwhile. Early
on the morning of 13th May 1968 the base came under attack from
enemy mortar, rocket and small arms fire, causing signals casualties to
men and equipment (including the RC-292 antenna). Temporary repairs
enabled the radio station to remain operational and it was the means by
which Spooky (DC3 aircraft equipped with illumination and six miniguns)
and helicopter gunships (Light Fire Teams) were called in to support the
units under attack. The FSPB Coral being partly over-run by the enemy
during this action. Signalman Gamble was WIA during the fighting.
Photo 6.8 - Setting up
strong point with AN/TRC-24 Antenna in back ground at FSPB (1968)
The main body of 1 ATF
arrived later on 13th May 1968 bringing the strength of the
signals group to 51 including two 3 man detachments from 110 Signal
Squadron and the 7 man detachment of 53 Signal Battalion (US Army).
Also a three man detachment from 547 Signal Troop arrived by air in this
period.
Signals began
digging in, including bulldozing 2 metre deep holes for the
signal centre and VHF radio bunker. Next day an unexpected rain storm
flooded the radio bunker swamping most of the radio equipment, but after
draining the water out all operated satisfactorily. The signal centre was
also flooded but not so badly.
At 0240 hours on 16th
May 1968 an NVA regimental attack was launched against FSPB Coral. It
started with 50 minutes of mortar and rocket barrage which included the
signals area and was followed up by ground attacks, one enemy party coming
within 50 metres of the signals perimeter which was directly protecting
the task force command post. The enemy finally broke contact at 0645
hours. Signalman Alex Young was KIA during this action and two other
Signalmen (John Koosache and Ian Crosthwaite) were WIA.
The Deputy Commander of 1
ATF at the time wrote later. "For a period of approximately three
weeks the task force was exposed to some of the heaviest fighting seen by
Australians in Vietnam. Throughout these engagements' and a number of
subsequent attacks by fire, the signals squadron not only held their
ground but continued to maintain communications".
 
Photo 6.9 (left) -
Entrance to 1 RAR CP at FSPB Coral (1968)
Photo 6.10 (right) - Weapons captured at FSPB Coral by 1 RAR - Sig Robert
Parkyns
M16 Rifle on the pile (1968)
Subsequently FSPB Coral
was developed and new bunkers constructed, radio relay vehicles lowered
and bunkered and strong defences developed. Three more mortar/rocket
attacks were experienced but damage was limited to soft equipment and
exposed cables.
Operation TOAN THANG
tested the task force signal squadron under most contingencies likely to
arise in the theatre. Whilst maintaining all communications facilities at
Nui Dat base, it undertook a deployment from Nui Dat to one field base
(Bearcat) and
from there to another base (Coral) in an enemy controlled area. It
required the provision of the full range of communications facilities
available to the squadron, and it involved maintenance of communications
whilst under enemy fire. It is a credit to those concerned that at no
time was there a loss of command communications. This saved many
Australian lives.
 
Photo 6.11 (left) - 1
RAR Switchboard (SB-22) at FSPB Coral (1968)
Photo 6.12 (right) - 1
RAR and Radio Detachment (104 Signal Squadron) returning
to Nui Dat from FSPB Coral (1968)
110 Signal Squadron
110 Signal Squadron had
two detachments in support of the communication effort at FSPB Coral.
One Radio Relay (RR) and the other Secure Radio Teleprinter (RATT).
The RR bearer equipment was a AN/MRC-69 Radio Terminal Shelter System under the command
of Cpl Mal Stevens. The Shelter took a number of hits and the enemy used
the "pancake" antenna to direct rockets and mortar into the Signals and HQ
area.
The Secure RATT was
commanded by Cpl Trevor Chell and used a Radio Set AN/GRC-106 as its HF
bearer.
It was at the time of the
action at FSPB Coral that 110 Signal Squadron was also most extended. It
was operating in 9 locations, including several detachments in support of
communications to Coral, in which 23 men were involved. During this
period the availability of the radio relay trunk bearer system to HQ 1 ATF
(Main) averaged 97.5%. Again, a highly creditable performance, but this
forward communications task of 110 Signal Squadron represented only a
small part of all the facilities it had to continue to provide at the same
time.
547 Signal Troop
Operating from FSPB Coral was a detachment from 547 Signal Troop that
did valuable Signals Intelligence (Sigint). Is worth noting that on
the advice of 547 Signal Troop, Comd 1 ATF changed his initial insertion
point for the Coral operation. The first planned insertion point was
considered dangerously close to an NVA regiment, in fact probably on top
of it!
The Troop deployed a three man detachment under the command of Sgt Jim
Brill (RA Sigs) by air into Coral on 13th May 1968. Jim’s
detachment members were Sgt Fred Hawkes (RA Sigs) and Cpl Tom Williams (Aust
Int Corps). Jim and Fred were highly skilled Morse code radio operators
and radio traffic analysts and Tom was a Vietnamese linguist and
cryptographer. Their limited equipment consisted of two VHF and two HF
receivers with power supplies. On arrival at the Fire Support Patrol
Base they set up within 104 Signal Squadron’s defence position alongside
Headquarters 1st Australian Task Force (Tactical) and
commenced radio intercept operations, initially above ground, but
everything was moved underground immediately after the first ground
attack against them. Between being mortared, rocketed and defending the
headquarters, the detachment intercepted many High Frequency enemy radio
networks and recorded them, but the main prize sought, which was enemy
VHF voice radio communications using low level codes or ciphers, eluded
them for they were few and far between. The fruits of their labour were
returned to Nui Dat for detailed analysis, being carried by the Troop
OC, Maj Peter Murray, and 2IC, Capt Steve Zagon, who took it in turns to
fly between Nui Dat and Coral. They also carried into Coral signals
intelligence obtained from other sources for the Task Force commander.
After six days Jim’s detachment was exhausted and a fresh team replaced
them under the command for Sgt Ken Trewartha (RA Sigs). Ken’s detachment
members were Cpl John Hunter (Aust Int Corps) and L/Cpl Snowy Turner (RA
Sigs). The new detachment continued to dig and intercept enemy radio
communications around the clock, always hoping for the main prize, but
to no avail on this occasion.
The battle of Coral showed that for future deployments the Troop had to
be better equipped to carry out its task away from the specialist set
room at Nui Dat. Five months later the Troop was issued with its own
Armored Command Vehicle (call sign 85D).
Footnote:
104 Signal Squadron had radio detachments
with 1RAR and 3RAR at FSPB's Coral, Coogee and Balmoral. Also
radio operators were with 1 Field Squadron at Coral and 161 (Indep) Recce
Flt at Phu Loi. Members of 104 Signal Squadron went forward to Balmoral with HQ 1 ATF.
Other members of 104 Signal Squadron provided a VHF retrans station from
Bearcat and a radio operator provided communications to 1 ATF while the
Australian tanks traveled to FSPB Coral from Nui Dat on the 22nd
and 23rd May 1968.
104 Sig Sqn was also issued its own Armored Command
Vehicle (call sign 85C) as a result of the lessons for the battle and all
future deployments had the COMCEN and Switchboard (Ebony Forward)
equipments mounted
in the vehicle.
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