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Retired Lt. Col. Fred Dunaway, former commander of the 135th Assault Helicopter Company, Australian Capt. Luke Gadd, and Australian Capt. Peter Oliver pay their respects during the 2026 ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Fort Rucker on April 25, 2026. (Leslie Herlick)
Episode 3256 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the celebration of ANZAC Day at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The featured story is titled: Lest we forget: ANZAC Day at Fort Rucker. It appeared on the U.S. Army website and was submitted by Leslie Herlick.
Herlick reported that at dawn on April 25, 2026 Veterans Park at Fort Rucker became a place of solemn unity as Soldiers, families, veterans, and international partners gathered for the 2026 ANZAC Day Dawn Service. The ceremony, deeply rooted in the legacy of the ANZAC Day, honored more than a century of sacrifice and shared history between allied nations.
Australian Capt. Sophie Agathangelidis opened the service, welcoming attendees and emphasizing the significance of remembrance among close allies. Lt. Col. Jeremy Mierendorff followed with a powerful keynote, recalling the courage and loss of the Gallipoli Campaign, where thousands of Australian and New Zealand troops gave their lives. He highlighted the enduring values born from that battle—courage, endurance, and mateship—which continue to define military service today.
The ceremony also paid tribute to the historic partnership between U.S. and Australian forces in Vietnam, particularly the 135th Assault Helicopter Company and its Experimental Military Unit (EMU). Their legacy of bravery in some of the war’s fiercest combat remains a benchmark of excellence. Yet, standing alongside that proud history is the equally formidable 134th Assault Helicopter Company—a unit whose courage, relentless operational tempo, and unwavering commitment to mission success exemplified the very best of Army aviation in Vietnam. The 134th’s pilots and crews repeatedly flew into danger, delivering troops, extracting the wounded, and turning the tide in critical ბრძოლ zones, earning a reputation for skill, resilience, and sheer determination that still commands respect today.
The service continued with a reading of In Flanders Fields, wreath-laying, and the emotional roll call of 36 fallen members of the 135th. As the Ode of Remembrance was recited, the weight of sacrifice was deeply felt. The ceremony concluded with a tribute not only to those who served, but to their families, and with the enduring words that bind generations: Lest we forget.
Listen to Episode 3256 and discover more about the celebration of ANZAC Day at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
