Award is the wind beneath his Wings

The family of an Albany man who fought in the Vietnam War has received his Royal Australian Navy Wings at the Princess Royal Fortress at a commemoration service for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

Private Kerry Pearce was recognised last Thursday for his service while participating in aerial flight in support of Allied combat ground forces in the Republic of South Vietnam in 1968.

The Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam Gunner’s Wings were presented to Mr Pearce’s family by Fleet Air Arm secretary Keith Taylor.

Fleet Air Arm commander Vince Di Pietro said Mr Pearce was a machine gunner of the 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment.

“He participated in aerial missions over hostile territory to support operations against communist aggression,” he said.

“During these flights, conducted by day and night in fair weather and foul, he displayed a high order of air discipline and acted in accordance with the best traditions of military service. He volunteered to contribute to the accomplishment of the tasked mission in spite of the hazards inherent in repeated aerial flights over hostile territory.”

Mr Pearce grew up in Albany and joined the army aged 17, where he spent eight years.

His father, Arthur, described him as a great person. “He was just in general a larrikin, we loved it when he was home from service,” he said. “He got on well with his mates in the army and he was just a terrific man.”

Mr Pearce died in 1984 aged 40.