| 1st Australian Task Force | |
|---|---|
 An Australian soldier in South Vietnam | |
| Active | 1966–1972 |
| Country | Australia New Zealand |
| Allegiance | Free World Military Forces |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Combined arms |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | US II Field Force, Vietnam |
| Garrison/HQ | Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam |
| Engagements | |
The 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) was a brigade-sized formation which commanded Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based in a rubber plantation at Nui Dat, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of Bà Rịa in Phuoc Tuy Province and consisted of two and later three infantry battalions, with armour, aviation, engineers and artillery support. While the task force was primarily responsible for securing Phuoc Tuy Province, its units, and the Task Force Headquarters itself, occasionally deployed outside its Tactical Area of Responsibility.
Significant battles conducted by the Task Force were Battle of Long Tan in 1966, Battle of Suoi Chau Pha in 1967, and Operation Coburg and the Battle of Coral–Balmoral in 1968. Other significant actions included Battle of Hat Dich in late-December 1968 and early 1969, Battle of Binh Ba in June 1969, and Battle of Long Khanh in June 1971.
A number of 1 ATF operations resulted in major defeats for the enemy including Operation Marsden in 1969 whereupon enormous caches of weapons and supplies and the main hospital servicing the local Communist forces were discovered and destroyed; and Operation Townsville in April 1970 whereupon Australian and New Zealand platoons captured the operational signals codes and one-time cipher pads used by the VC headquarters. As a result, senior U.S commanders including General Creighton Abrams, Commander MACV were alleged to have referred to it as "the biggest intelligence coup of the war."[1] 1 ATF was withdrawn in late 1971.
- ^ "6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment". Vietnam, 1962–1972 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2009.