Crossfire
An Australian Reconnaissance Unit in Vietnam
| By | Peter Haran and Robert Kearney |
|---|---|
| Format | Paperback / softback |
| Page Extent | 237 |
| Book Size | 21 x 208 x 136 mm (H x W x D) |
| Imprint | New Holland Publishers |
| Release Date | 1 Apr 2001 |
| Subject Classification | True stories / True war & combat stories |
eBook available
Tale of courage, terror, madness and survival
In October 1966, 28 soldiers were chosen to form Australia?s first specialist Reconnaissance Platoon in the Vietnam War. One of this platoon?s section commanders was a 20-year old regular soldier called Bob Kearney, who led a series of deadly patrols, operating in isolation and extreme danger ahead of the main Australian forces. This is the story of Bob and his unit's tale of courage, terror, madness and survival, told by fellow Vietnam veteran Peter Haran, best-selling author of Trackers and Robert Kearney.
Robert Kearney
Robert Kearney joined the Army in 1963 and was a member of Airborne Platoon with 1st Battalion before his first tour of Vietnam with 5th Battalion, where he was a section commander with Reconnaissance Platoon. His second tour of duty was with 3rd Battalion as rifle company platoon sergeant. Bob went on to serve as an instructor at the Army’s Jungle Training Centre, 2 Commando Company, and was later a training officer at Officer Cadet School, Portsea Victoria. After his full-time military service, Bob joined the Correctional Services Department and later became a prison manager. He was awarded the Correctional Services Exemplary Conduct Medal for courage and leadership as a hostage negotiator during a 1996 prison riot. He has been a training consultant, working with the South Australian Country Fire Service volunteers.
Peter Haran
Peter Haran (1948-2025) joined the army in 1966 and first served in Vietnam during 1967-68 with 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, attached to a combat tracking team. As one of the first Australian dog handlers, he wrote of his experiences with tracking dog Caesar in the highly successful book Trackers: The Untold Story of the Australian Dogs of War (New Holland, 2000) and later co-wrote Crossfire: An Australian Reconnaissance Unit in Vietnam with colleague Robert Kearney. After two years as a dog trainer with the Army’s Tracking Unit in Sydney, Peter served a second tour in Vietnam as an infantry section commander with 3rd Battalion in 1971. He left the Army in 1972 and became a journalist with the Adelaide Sunday Mail.
