By CASEY NEILL
THE crowded bar falls silent as the call “stand to” echoes through the room.
It’s 2.30pm on a Thursday at Noble Park RSL. The Noble Park Vietnam Veterans Association is about to honour its fallen comrades.
Treasurer Wally Sosnowski reads the names of the servicemen and women who died during that week in each of the 10 years of the Vietnam War.
The group’s president Ray McCarthy, from Springvale South, said there were “506-odd names, so that works out to about 10 a week”.
“We’ve been doing it now since 1996, so it’s 18 years we’ve had stand to,” he said.
Mr Sosnowski reads out how old each member was at the time of their death, the suburb they came from, a summary of their service record and how they died.
The dozens of men in the room listen solemnly, only breaking the silence to say “lest we forget” in unison.
Mr McCarthy said the group had about 200 members.
“We have a couple of war widows of Vietnam vets who are full members, and we have some associate members,” he said.
“The Vietnam Veterans Association exists for welfare. It’s a not-for-profit organisation.
“We raise funds to pay the rent for our welfare office. We pay half the rent, the RSL pays the other half.
“It’s a lobby group as well.”
Mr McCarthy said the sub-branch was among about 24 in Victoria.
“Our main thing is to help finance welfare, help our museum down at Phillip Island, and to leave a bit of a legacy for Vietnam Veterans once we’re all gone,” he said.
The group raises funds for bursaries, and supports child education and Swim Safe programs in Vietnam.
Mr McCarthy served in Vietnam with 1 Field Squadron All Australian Engineers and the 1st Australian Civil Affairs Unit.
“The engineers were involved in construction and demolition,” he said.
“And the civil affairs unit was there to win the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese, a lot of civil projects – drilling wells, building accommodation, building schools, dental, medical …
“Anzac Day is the most important day on the calendar for us – for all ex-servicemen, not just Vietnam vets.
“My grandfather was on the Western Front, my father was in New Guinea, so it means a lot to me.”
