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 crew members of the Vung Tau Ferry ( HMAS Sydney) going through the ritual of walking the flight deck prior to a Sea King helicopter launch. They are picking up any foreign bodies that might be sucked into the helicopters engines on take-off.