To enlist Australian and New Zealand help during the Korean War, the U.S. formed a three-party mutual defense pact, and it was under the auspices of the ANZUS pact that Australia and New Zealand later joined the U.S. war in Vietnam. Although their contributions were relatively small — 3,500 men for New Zealand, and 60,000 for Australia — both countries found large protests against the war back home.

On this day, August 18, in 1971, in answer to the growing demands for withdrawal, the last of the Australian and New Zealand troops left Vietnam.

Although Australia ceased combat operations, they maintained a humanitarian presence, delivering tons of supplies to South Vietnamese displaced by the war. At the request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Royal Australian Air Force flew supplies to South Vietnam, and based several Hercules C-130 cargo aircraft, along with a ground crew of around 100, in Saigon.