JENSEN, Anthony Howard
| Service Number: | 235316 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 17 March 1945 |
| Home Town: | Townsville, Townsville, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Vietnam War Service
| 27 Mar 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lieutenant, 235316 | |
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| 28 Mar 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lieutenant, 235316, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), The Tet Offensive - Vietnam 1968 | |
| 13 May 1968: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lieutenant, 235316, 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), FSB Coral / Balmoral - Vietnam, As Mortar Line Officer, Tony Jensen called friendly fire on his own position as he and his men were over-run at FSB Coral. His actions prevented further losses among the 1RAR Mortar Platoon and the adjacent 102nd Australian Field Battery. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Steve Larkins
Anthony Howard JENSEN
After Graduating from RMC Duntroon in December 1966, Tony Jensen was posted to the First Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) and subsequently deployed to South Vietnam as part of the First Australian Task Force (1 ATF) in March 1968. Tony was a Lieutenant in command of the 1 RAR Mortar Platoon at Fire Support Base Coral (/explore/campaigns/65), in May 1968.
See the link for details of this action.
Tony Jensen was awarded the Medal of Gallantry in April 2020 for his actions on the night of 13/14th May 1968.
After Graduating from RMC Duntroon in December 1966, Tony Jensen was posted to the First Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) and subsequently deployed to South Vietnam as part of the First Australian Task Force (1 ATF) in March 1968. Tony was a Lieutenant in command of the 1 RAR Mortar Platoon.
Bio from 'Anzacs at Home' courtesy of Senator Jim Molan AC DSC, Facebook post
In May 1968, ATF was involved in a US divisional sized operation 15 km North of Saigon. This was the first and only time that an Australian Army Brigade had been involved in an operation since WW2.
On the night of 12/13 May 1968 the 1 RAR Mortar Platoon of 18 men was co-located with 102 Battery from 12 Field Regiment. At 8.30pm they were subjected to mortar and RPG fire and attacked by 141 Regiment of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). Tony’s mortar position was overrun by 400 NVA. With the enemy all through his position, Tony called for artillery and mortar fire.
1 RAR had intense artillery support from US artillery as well as gunships and ‘Spooky’, a DC 3/CH47/Dakota equipped with a MiniGun. Tony controlled and adjusted this fire support with the help of his signaller, Jack Parr. His mortarmen stayed in their shell scrapes and they defended the position.
No. 5 gun(a 105mm howitzer) from 102nd Battery fired 5 rounds of ‘Splintex’, an anti-personnel round comprised of 6500 15mm long steel darts, over the 1 RAR Mortar position and the enemy broke contact. Tony’s regiment lost 5 killed in action, and 8 wounded, with 52 NVA dead on the battlefield.
It was Mother's Day 1968. A day Tony will never forget.
Tony retired from the Army in February 1990.