THE 50th anniversary of the end of hostilities of the Vietnam War will be marked when Anzac Day services are held on Monday.
There are about 74 Vietnam veterans in the Swan Hill area, including senior vice president of the Swan Hill sub-branch and president of Vietnam Veterans Harold Hislop, who served in Vietnam for 12 months during 1966 and 1967.
“It was something we had to do at the time,” Mr Heslop said.
Mr Heslop says there is a good camaraderie among those who served at Vietnam.
“We all went through much the same type of thing, wading through mangroves and stuff like that,” he said.
As a Vietnam veteran, Mr Heslop will be giving a speech at this year’s Swan Hill services, outlining and exploring Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
“There are anniversaries almost every day about different wars, and this one, because it’s 50 years since the end of hostilities, well that’s a pretty big one,” he said.
“Basically it’s the same type of thing for that war as what it was for the end of WWI and WWII.”
Mr Heslop’s involvement in Anzac Day is something that dates back to his cubs and scouts days, and has always been a day that holds significance for him.
“It’s always meant a lot to me because my dad and three brothers were in there (the army), and I had four uncles on mum’s side in there,” he said.
“So I always had a bit of a feeling for Anzac Day.”
Member for Mallee Anne Webster will be guest speaker at Swan Hill’s Anzac Day service.
