There are not many radio field recordings made by on-the-ground reporters in the ABC’s archival collection. Even if there were, this recording would stand out in the crowd.

This is a three-minute excerpt from a five-minute Australian Labor Party television commercial for the 1966 federal election. The commercial has a captioned title, Vietnam.

The slowly disintegrating Goddard family are watching the news. They are painfully aware that their son, Phil (Nicholas Eadie) is in Vietnam as a conscript.

Phil Goddard (Nicholas Eadie) has been called up and is being trained for the war in Indo China.

Bung (John Hargreaves), a soldier from another patrol, comes looking for his stolen pack.

Bill (John Jarratt) is bored and thirsty on patrol, until the Australians discover a Viet Cong bush camp. They lay in wait for the enemy’s return. Summary by Paul Byrnes.

This iconic protest song written by John Schumann was released as a single in March 1983, hitting number one on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart.