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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Vietnam, 1966-03

by William Cunneen

Vietnam, 1966-03

Private Shorty Thirkell of Redfern, Sydney, NSW, uses a bush hat to wipe the sweat from his face while on patrol in the jungles of South Vietnam with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), during Operation Silver City in War Zone D, fighting the Communist Viet Cong.

Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial

The jungle look
(More information, View all 10 images)

Vietnam, 1966-06
Vietnam, 1970-08

Related information

Thua Tich, South Vietnam, 1969-06 by Christopher Bellis
Thua Tich, South Vietnam, 1969-06 by Christopher Bellis
Thua Tich, South Vietnam, 1969-06 by Christopher Bellis
Thua Tich, South Vietnam, 1969-06 by Christopher Bellis

The jungle look

Magazine article by David Gist, 2019

David Gist steps beyond the public relations veneer of Australia’s official Vietnam War portrait photographs.
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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