Historical information

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011)
Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.

Physical description

A black and white photograph of a Group photo of the placed runners in the 5000 metre footrace from the market place at Long Dien. The race was run on the Vietnamese National Day

Inscriptions & markings

THE GREAT HUNG VUONG DAY ROAD RACE - 15th APRIL 1970: Hung Vuong Day, 15th April 1970, the Vietnamese National Day commemorating the events of the birth of the Vietnamese Race, is on of the most important festivals of the Vietnamese Memorabilia. The placed contestant athletics in the 5000 metre foot race from the market place at Long Dien, south east of Nui Dat, the 1st Australian Task force Base, along national Route 23 to the town square at Baria (Phuoc Le), the Phuoc Tuy Province Capital. The multi coloured shirts of the various contestants, from the numerous military and civilian units in the province and the Australian Task Force looked out of place in the war zone.

It took 17 minutes, 5 seconds for the outright winner to get to the finish, a strapping young SAS soldier, Trooper John Thurgar, from Scone, N.S.W. of the 1st Special Air Service Squadron, one of the Australian contestants. The first prize, silver cup, was presented to Trooper Thrugar by Colonel Tu, The Province Chief, Colonel Peter Falkland, the 1st Australian Task Force Deputy Commander presented the first Vietnamese contestant across the finish line with a silver cup. In all there were trophies for the first siz places by the Vietnamese and the "visitors", SAS took the first three Australian/New Zealand places whilst the last three came from other 1st Australian Task Force Units, the first prize for each of the individual winners was a large silver cup, for the next five runners up, by the Australians there was a smaller silver cup, for the Vietnamese first place there was a silver cup the same size as for the Australian, outright, winner, while the next five Vietnamese runners up received a parcel of clothing and towels.