Lance Corporal Gillespie was the medic on board a Royal Australian Air Force 'dustoff' helicopter that was shot down over the Long Hai Hills in Phuoc Tuy province in 1971.
The Vietnam War
At the end of the Vietnam War six Australian servicemen were still listed as “Missing in Action”. Between 2007 and 2009 Unrecovered War Casualties – Army successfully recovered four Soldiers and two Airmen. The remains were repatriated to Australia and laid to rest by their families, there are now no Australian Servicemen missing in Vietnam.
Remains of Private Fisher discovered, 2008
In January 2008, following the successful recovery of other missing Australian soldiers in Vietnam, Unrecovered War Casualties – Army began investigating the case of the last missing Australian soldier from the Vietnam War, Private David Fisher.
Remains of two Australian soldiers discovered, 2007
On 8 November 1965 A Company of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment encountered an enemy position in the Tui Gang Toi north-east of Bien Hoa in southern Vietnam. During the ensuing battle two of the company, Lance Corporal Richard Parker and Private Peter Gillson were killed but their bodies could not be recovered.