A VIETNAM veteran renewed acquaintances with the type of aircraft he flew during that war when he visited the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre RECENTLY.
FLTLT (retd) Jeffrey Pedrina was treated to a personalised tour of the centre with family members in honour of his service to Australia and the re-release of his bestselling book Wallaby Airlines.
Centre volunteer and Vietnam veteran WOFF (retd) Victor Smith took them on the tour, which included a look inside a de Havilland DHC-4 Caribou (A4-236), the aircraft type FLTLT Pedrina flew with 35SQN in Vietnam.
During a morning tea with representatives from today’s 35SQN, Director-General of History and Heritage – Air Force AIRCDRE Robert Lawson presented Geoffrey with the first copy of the re-released Wallaby Airlines.
He said it was an honour to host FLTLT Pedrina and thanked him for his service.
“Having you here is a reminder to us all of the importance of remembering the past and those who served before us,” AIRCDRE Lawson said.
The book is FLTLT Pedrina’s account of serving in Vietnam with 35SQN, which was nicknamed ‘Wallaby Airlines’ for its reputation as a hardworking transport squadron.“
Looks like a good read,” FLTLT Pedrina quipped, on being presented with the copy of the book.
FLTLT Pedrina joined the RAAF in 1958 and initially flew C-47 Dakotas in Vietnam, in 1966 and 1967.
