Fed: Missing Vietnam War Digger mystery close to being solved

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2008
Fed: Missing Vietnam War Digger mystery close to being solved

CANBERRA, Aug 17 AAP - As Australian veterans prepare to commemorate their role in
the Vietnam War, investigators believe they may be close to solving the mystery of one
of three remaining missing servicemen.

At the same time, the federal government says its doesn't want to repeat the mistakes
of post-Vietnam War years in dealing with soldiers returning from present-day conflicts
in Iraq and Afghanistan who are likely to encounter post-traumatic stress disorders.

Veterans from around the country will gather in Canberra and other capital cities tomorrow
- the 42nd anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan - for commemorative ceremonies.

They will be honouring the more than 500 Diggers who died in Australia's longest overseas
conflict.

Still unaccounted for are Private David Fisher from the Special Air Services Regiment,
who went missing in September 1969, and Pilot Officer Robert Carver and Flying Officer
Michael Herbert, both believed killed after their Canberra bomber disappeared in 1970.

But fresh investigations with locals and Vietnamese veterans have enabled investigators
to pinpoint a possible location for Private Fisher's remains, the government says.

A defence forensic anthropologist, an archaeologist and several Army historians, will
conduct a full archaeological dig in the location where Fisher is believed to have fallen.

The national serviceman, who was attached to the SAS, fell from a rope while an RAAF
helicopter was conducting a hot extraction out of the area in 1969.

He fell into the jungle and, despite attempts, was never found.

"We are hopeful of providing Private Fisher's family with some long-awaited answers,"

Defence Science and Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon said.

Officials are also conducting preliminary investigations of the two RAAF personnel
who went missing in November 1970.

Meanwhile, the government has warned that soldiers returning from multiple tours of
duty were likely to suffer post-traumatic stress disorders in the next five to 10 years.

Similar disorders were reported after the Vietnam War, but were ignored for many years
by successive governments.

"Vietnam veterans say that it is really important that we don't have the same sort
of mistakes that were made with us with this newer generation," Veterans' Affairs Minister
Alan Griffin told Sky News.

Every conflict brough new issues, he said.

"One of the things that we are dealing with now ... is people who have come back from
two or three different conflicts.

"That produces a whole range of questions about multiple deployments and what sorts
of impacts they actually have on the people we send over."

The government needed to work hard to ensure adequate safety nets were put in place
to help soldiers deal with any problems that emerge, Mr Griffin said.

"Over the coming five to 10 years a lot more ... will have problems.

"We have to try (to) create a situation where, when they've got problems, they get
in touch and they get help quickly."

AAP rl/jfm/cdh

KEYWORD: VETERANS NIGHTLEAD

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