12:00a.m. 19th August 2008

| By Sam Benger

Long Tan veteran Laurie Drinkwater at Vietnam Veterans day at a Caloundra RSL memorial service commemorating the August 18 anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. Photo: Nicholas Falconer/177745

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A lot may have changed in 42 years, but for Vietnam veterans like Laurie Drinkwater , the memories of war are still as vivid as ever.

On the anniversary of the battle of Long Tan yesterday, more than 150 returned servicemen turned out to the Caloundra RSL to pay homage to the 553 Australian soldiers killed in the Vietnam War.

Mr Drinkwater said while August 18 was an important day to remember the mates he lost, it was not the only time he stopped to think about them.

“(The anniversary) is always an emotional day for me, but not a day goes past that something won’t remind me of those mates and I think very often of the friends I lost that day and the significance of that battle,” he said.

A photo of Laurie Drinkwater on duty in Vietnam.

Mr Drinkwater said he returned to Long Tan last year to tour the place he has thought about for so many years.

“A lot has changed in 40 years and it wasn’t as traumatic as I thought it would be, but it was still heart-wrenching to attend a service there and to think about what had happened at that site,” he said.

He likened the Vietnam War to the Iraq War of this generation, and said, no matter what the political decisions were, it was important to support our Aussie troops.

“Whether you agree with war or not, you’ve got to support your troops, because we don’t want it to happen like it did with us, where we came home and were told not to talk about it and to get on with our lives.

“There has to be a healing period and support for the troops,” he said.

Vietnam Veteran’s Association Sunshine Coast president Phil Gejas said it was important for all members of the community to remember the men who died serving Australia, and those who had died since from war-related injuries.

“It’s nice to see that what we went through is now recognised by the community, and it’s important that the community comes together to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice for their country,” he said.

“It’s about mates remembering mates, and friends and families sticking together.”