Only two Australian SASR personnel were killed in action during the Vietnam War, with a total of around ten Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) members dying from various causes (action, wounds, accidents, illness) out of the 580 who served, a remarkably low figure compared to the overall 521 Australian deaths in the conflict. The SASR conducted extensive patrols, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy while suffering minimal casualties themselves, earning them the nickname "Phantoms of the jungle" from the Viet Cong.
Jerry Michael Tate Shriver (24 September 1941 – 10 June 1974), also known by his nickname "Mad Dog", was a Master Sergeant in the United States Army who served in MACV-SOG in the Vietnam War.
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel held great respect for Australian soldiers, viewing them as tough, skilled, and formidable fighters, especially in attack, famously stating he'd use Australians to take hell and New Zealanders to hold it, though some historians question the exact phrasing while confirming his admiration for their fighting prowess in North Africa, documented in his letters.
The SAS soon found themselves in action again. This time in Vietnam. 3 Squadron was the first squadron to be deployed to Vietnam. The SASR was sent in again to help the Americans fight off the communist government of North Vietnam from overtaking South Vietnam.
They are the most celebrated and prestigious units in the Australian Army. The SAS — the Special Air Service Regiment — and the 2nd Commando Regiment are Australia's special forces elite, the soldiers tasked with the most difficult missions in warzones like Afghanistan.
Neither SAS nor SBS is definitively "more elite"; they are equally elite but specialized, with the SAS focusing on land/air and the SBS on maritime/amphibious roles, both part of the UK's UK Special Forces (UKSF) and sharing the same rigorous Joint Special Forces Selection process, with SBS adding extra maritime training like swimmer-canoeist skills. Think of them as the Army's and Navy's top-tier counterparts within the same elite special forces framework.
Australia has received its full fleet of 72 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, with the final aircraft delivered in late 2024, forming the backbone of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) air combat capability alongside Super Hornets and Growlers. While the current fleet is 72, there are discussions and potential plans to acquire more, possibly increasing the total to 100 aircraft in the future.
The SAS is a secret organisation. Its members often do not tell anyone except close family that they are in it.
SAS training is far harder. SEALs are absolutely some of the best Special Operations troops in the world. That said, the real comparison is SAS / SBS and Delta / DEVGRU — SEAL Team 6. SEAL enlisted and officers can go to BUDs after their initial training.
A total of 25 crewmen were killed in these losses. [174] North Vietnam claimed 34 B-52s were shot down. During the war 31 B-52s were lost, including 10 shot down over North Vietnam.
While the United States (US) is Australia's key strategic ally and often seen as a very close partner by leaders, public opinion polls consistently show New Zealand as Australia's "best friend" in the world, followed by the US and then the United Kingdom, reflecting deep cultural and historical ties with both neighbors.
The Nazis considered Jews to be their number one enemy. During World War II, Nazi Germany and its allies and collaborators murdered six million Jews in a genocide now known as the Holocaust.
German soldiers generally held a mix of fear, deep respect, and admiration for Australian troops in both World Wars, recognizing them as exceptionally tough, cunning, and tenacious fighters, with figures like Erwin Rommel praising their fighting spirit and describing them as magnificent in attack and defense, though some German press also dismissed them as a small population incapable of sustaining a major war effort.
Who did the Viet Cong fear the most? Tough, battle-hardened South Korean troops were justly feared by Vietcong and North Vietnamese regulars alike during the Vietnam War.
Before his iconic starring role on on "Magnum, P.I.," Tom Selleck served as an infantry soldier in the Army National Guard during the Vietnam War.
One account states that Communist forces used a captured American radio to lure General Ware's helicopter into an ambush. Ware was the second United States Army general officer to die in the Vietnam War, after Brigadier General Alfred Judson Force Moody died of a heart attack in South Vietnam on 19 March 1967.
BEAR GRYLLS OBE, has become known worldwide as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Grylls went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, as part of 21 SAS Regiment.
Own Your 3-Foot Space In Navy SEAL training, there's a simple but profound principle: Own your 3-foot space. It means focusing on what's directly within your control—your actions, your attitude, your effort—no matter how chaotic the environment around you becomes.
SAS troops comprise of 16 men, led by a captain. There are 4 troops within each squadron, each specialising in a different method of insertion. The troops are Air Troop, Boat Troop, Mountain Troop and Mobility Troop. Non-officers who pass SAS selection lose their previous rank and are assigned the rank of trooper.
21 and 23 SAS processes applications from male and female applicants, with no previous military service. Applicants must be no older than 47 years 6 months when applying to join the Army Reserve (AR).
Opportunities exist for members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to serve in Australia's Special Air Service Regiment (SASR); invariably known as either the SAS or 'the Regiment'. The route into the SASR for all ADF personnel is via a highly structured and formal selection and training process.
F-35A Lightning II.
What many critics complain about with the F-35 is that it has too small wings (in order to be stored compactly on an aircraft carrier), which gives the aircraft little lift. The critics say that small wings give the F-35 bad lift because the wing area is crucial for an aircraft to achieve a good lift.
The 37 F-35 aircraft now in service represent a significant improvement in the warfighting capability of the UK's Armed Forces, with the ability to operate in high threat environments and to enhance the effectiveness of other UK defence platforms.