It was an idea that came to two best mates over a cup of coffee, and two years later, hundreds were there to see it come to fruition.
In 2023, Vietnam War veteran Roger Hogben and his friend John Edwards were at a cafe leafing through the newspaper, where they saw an item about the 50th anniversary of Australia pulling out of the conflict.
They began discussing how to commemorate 50 years since the war ended, and this week, the Vietnam War Memorial Walk on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula was officially opened.
More than 400 people across the country, many donning their own medals, travelled to Edithburgh for the opening. (ABC North and West: Arj Ganesan)
The 3.7-kilometre-long trail connects Edithburgh and Coobowie, with information plaques about every Australian unit that served.
Ex-rifleman Mr Hogben, of nearby Brentwood, said he could not wear his medals after he came home from the war — but “not out of shame”.
“With the way Vietnam veterans were rejected in the early days, it wasn’t worth wearing your medals,” Mr Hogben said.
“When I came home, I was told by an RSL on ANZAC Day that I shouldn’t have been there because I wasn’t involved in a ‘proper war’.
“The troops that came home were, in some cases, rejected and held responsible for a war they had no choice in.”
The 3.7km walking trail stretches from Edithburgh to Coobowie. (ABC North & West: Arj Ganesan)
Mr Hogben said that had since “changed dramatically, and the anger has dissipated”.
The 29 laser-cut signs, including two honour boards, are made of steel and designed to be weather-resistant.
All information about personnel and their role in the conflict was verified by the Vietnam Veterans Association.
Asked if the signs would still be there for the 100th anniversary, Mr Hogben chuckled: “They definitely will be, but I won’t.”
John Edwards, Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson and Roger Hogben on the Vietnam War Memorial Walk at Edithburgh. (ABC North & West: Arj Ganesan)
The ‘soundtrack of Vietnam’
More than 400 people from across the country, many donning their own medals, descended on Edithburgh for the special Veterans’ Day event on Monday.
A genuine Vietnam-era UH-1H helicopter — sometimes known as a “Huey” — flew from Shellharbour in NSW for the event, landing on the nearby golf course.
A Huey chopper lands as part of the Vietnam War Memorial Walk. (ABC News: Arj Ganesan)
Recently restored by the volunteer-run Historic Aircraft Restoration Society, it took three days for the more than 60-year-old Iroquois chopper to make the trip to the Yorke Peninsula.
The Huey A2-703, which has been described as “the soundtrack to the Vietnam War”, was an important addition to the day; with its very sound stirring up memories for veterans.
“It’s a unique sound — it’s the sound of the war, but also the sound of coming back,” Mr Hogben said.
‘A testament to community’
In attendance was Sir Peter Cosgrove, former Governor-General and Defence Force Chief, who said the memorial was “a testament to the way the community embraces their veterans”.
“It was a war of its period and when we look back on it, we mourn the fact that it took place,” Mr Cosgrove said.
Sir Peter Cosgrove says the memorial is “a testament to the way the community embraces their veterans”. (ABC News: Arj Ganesan)
“But on the other hand, our men and women behaved magnificently in answering their nation’s call and fighting for a cause which we now look back on and say, ‘We’re relieved we’ve made friends with the Vietnamese people’.”
Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson, another guest, said there were few memorials across the country that “try to convey as much information as this one does about all the elements who served”.
“As you take in this stunning walk, you’re informed about the nature of that service, the nature of that sacrifice,” Mr Anderson said.
“So then, hopefully, when you go into the Cenotaph in town and lay a poppy or a wreath, it’s meaningful, and this [memorial] allows for meaningful commemoration”.
Every unit that participated in the war is included in the Vietnam War Memorial Walk. (ABC Radio: Narelle Graham)
Folk singer John Schumann, known for his Vietnam-era anthem I Was Only 19, also delivered an afternoon concert at the Light Church in honour of the event.
“If you wander around Australia, almost every town has a monument to their community members who served in the World Wars and over the years, but the Vietnam War is sort of out on its own,” he said.
“I think a memorial like this has a particular poignancy, to have a walk along the coastline, with points to stop and reflect.”