BATTLE OF BRITAIN ‘LACE’
On a proud day at Torrens Parade Ground, Adelaide on 16 August 2025, No 9 Squadron serving members joined with 9 Squadron veterans for the No 9 Squadron Reformation and Vietnam War Legacy Commemoration Parade.
The special event featured a unit parade where the 9 Squadron Standard was unfurled and paraded before a new and special Streamer for the units distinguished service in the Vietnam War was added to the Standard.
AVM Glen Braz AM CSC DSM, Air Commander Australia, had the honour of presenting to the unit, and attaching to the 9 SQN Standard, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Streamer. The Streamer was also awarded to No 2 Squadron in 2018 in recognition of its gallant service in Vietnam.
9SQN then paraded its Squadron Standard with the new Streamer in front of proud 9 Squadron veterans, dignitaries, and other parade attendees.
The parade was completed with a special flypast of ex-9SQN and Vietnam War veteran Huey Iroquois UH-1H A2-703 flown by GPCAPT (Retd) Mick Haxell and Victor Battese.
Serving and ex-serving members then came together in the Torrens Parade Ground Drill Hall sharing stories of service and comradeship over the years.
It was wonderful to see almost 100 ex-serving 9SQN veterans covering the units distinguished service from the Vietnam War through to its role in the 1970’s and 1980’s in support of United Nations operations, emergency support such as floods and regional engagement in southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Key special 9SQN veteran attendees included former CO 9SQN Air Chief Marshal (retd) Sir Angus Houston AK AFC (Patron of the 9SQN Association) and noted Vietnam veterans AVM (retd) Mac Weller, AVM (Retd) Bob Treloar, and AIRCDRE (Retd) Bruce Lane.
President 9SQN Association, WGCDR (retd) Bob Redman spoke to attendees about the 9SQN experience in the Vietnam War particularly noting the unit remarkable operational tempo largely made possible by not just the units aircrew but their incredible maintenance crews who sustained the units helicopters, the families of those who served and paid special mention to those 9SQN personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their nation in Vietnam.
AVM (Retd) Mac Weller, who served in Vietnam as the Senior Engineering Officer and went on to complete a remarkable career of 48 years in the RAAF as Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, then spoke about the value of people in the Air Force stressing it was the units’ members who made the unit such a success. It was the unit’s aircrew, sustained by their maintenance teams and support personnel that came together as an effective fighting unit in Vietnam. He noted the value of Air Force training and education and ingenuity and culture that enabled the unit to adapt in Vietnam to the unique environment, operations and adversary. He noted that the unit and 9SQN was in good hands with the current serving 9SQN personnel but stressed to them the importance of their new role in the defence of Australia and in the situations our nation may find itself in the future.
Air Chief Marshal (retd) Sir Angus Houston AK AFC, who served as CO 9SQN for its disbandment in 1989 as part of the transfer of Air Force Huey/Blackhawk to Army and who went on become Chief of Air Force and Chief of the Defence Force, then spoke about the 9SQN experience and legacy post-Vietnam and its distinguished service for the nation in peace time with the United Nations, on emergency relief operations or across the southwest Pacific. He noted the sacrifice paid by unit personnel in these operations including several tragic flying accidents and reinforced the remarkable bond between pilots and maintenance personnel. He closed by commending AVM Mac Weller and AVM Treloar on their incredible contributions to Air Force Air Safety through their working in improving airworthiness across the Air Force during the 1990’s to 2000’s.
It was an incredible and very special day where ex-serving and current serving Air Force members of 9SQN came together to celebrate the unit, its distinguished service, its legacy, its people and its future. The current members of 9SQN are embracing the values and legacy of 9SQN by embracing the proud 9SQN veteran community and through this, enhancing their strength and capacity to perform their mission into the future and live up to the squadron motto Videmus Nec Videmur – “We See Without Being Seen” which is never more appropriate than it is our now as the unit embraces the new MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aerial System.
Images courtesy of AFA-SA.
Captions:
AVM Glen Braz AM, CSC, DSM, Air Commander Australia, salutes the 9SQN Standard with its new Streamer. (AFA-SA image)
The 9SQN Standard with its new Streamer attached in recognition of its proud and distinguished service in the Vietnam War. (AFA-SA Image)
9SQN personnel march past attendees completing the 9SQN Reformation Parade at Torrens Parade Ground on 16 Aug 2025. (AFA-SA Image)
AVM (Retd) Mac Weller, former 9SQN SENGO in Vietnam who completed 48 years of service in the RAAF finishing as the Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, with WGCDR Neale Thompson, CO 9SQN (elect) who will assume command of 9SQN in December 2025. (AFA-SA image)
AVM Mac Weller, former 9SQN SENGO in Vietnam and who completed 48 years in the RAAF finishing as Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, speaks at the 9SQN Reformation Event on 16 August 2025. (AFA-SA Image)
WGCDR (Retd) Bob Redman, former 9SQN pilot and current 9SQN Association President, speaks at the 9SQN Reformation Event on 16 August 2025. (AFA-SA Image)
9SQN Vietnam Veterans, AVM Mac Weller (SENGO 9SQN Vietnam and later Air Officer Commanding Logistic Command) and WGCDR (Retd) Norm Goodall DFC, who was awarded the DFC in Vietnam. They served together in Vietnam in 1970. with 9SQN. (AFA-SA Image)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK AFC cuts the 9SQN Reformation Celebration Cake with the youngest 9SQN member. (AFA-SA Image)
