A Summary of Barry Peterson's Extraordinary Career:
The below text is a brief summary of Barry Peterson’s career and achievements. His biography 'Tiger Men' (see references page) is a brilliant book and is highly recommended. It describes in detail his experiences and provides a valuable insight into the Vietnam War.
------------------------------------------------------------------ Peterson’s career began upon graduation of officer training school on the 17 December 1954. His service began as a platoon commander with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment where he first saw action in Malaya from 1959 until 1961. The operations conducted in Malaya allowed Peterson to witness and experience certain aspects of the Jahai and Temiar Tribes of the indigenous Orang Asli in the mountains of Malya’s border with Thailand. Upon return to Australia, Peterson was contacted by Army Head Quarters requesting him to volunteer for “liaison duties with guerrillas in the event of any future war”. The Army predicted that being able to employ guerrilla forces to support the efforts of ground forces would be critical in any future conflicts. |
Peterson experiences with tribes in Malaya set him up for selection into a small group of officers that were to receive this specialised and exclusive training. This resulted in his appointment to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) in 1962 - a small, unique and elite group.
As a result of this, Peterson now had to endure the demanding “Code of Conduct” training course housed at the place known as the “School of Torture”, more formally recognised as the Australian Army Intelligence center in Sydney. From here he was exposed to arduous training methods such as torture. Not long after being recruited to the AATTV, Peterson was posted to South Vietnam under the command of the American Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A). He was tasked in recruiting, training and developing a Montagnard guerrilla style force whose role was to fight the communists for the protection of local Vietnamese villages. The project was financially supported and operated by the C.I.A. The Montagnard (‘Mountain people’) were the indigenous people of the central highlands of Vietnam. Peterson was located in the Darlac Province near the border of Cambodia. |
By 1964 Peterson had created a several hundred man army, officially known as the Truong Son force. The group would conduct operations against the Viet Cong, disseminating overt and covert propaganda, establishing intelligence network systems and conducting small raids and operations. They would endure long range patrols to destroy enemy capability and rescue captured Montagnard being used for forced labour. Primarily, they were utilised for the protection of other local tribes.
Peterson’s brief and intent conveyed by the C.I.A was highly ambiguous allow him a great amount of freedom. As only a junior officer in the Australian Army (Captain) he was exposed to an exceptional amount of responsibility.
Peterson was an outstanding leader. He stood for the rights of his troops ensuring that all of his soldiers were “paid, willing volunteers”. This coupled with his willingness to accept their culture and traditions earnt him enormous respect from the force and surrounding tribes of the area. The Truong Son Force had begun to develop a fearsome reputation among the Viet Cong, becoming known as the ‘Tiger Men’. This name was derived from the tiger print camouflaged uniform that was issued by the C.I.A. Peterson took this as an opportunity to develop identity within the force and order the creation of tiger head beret badges and a supply of green berets.
Peterson’s brief and intent conveyed by the C.I.A was highly ambiguous allow him a great amount of freedom. As only a junior officer in the Australian Army (Captain) he was exposed to an exceptional amount of responsibility.
Peterson was an outstanding leader. He stood for the rights of his troops ensuring that all of his soldiers were “paid, willing volunteers”. This coupled with his willingness to accept their culture and traditions earnt him enormous respect from the force and surrounding tribes of the area. The Truong Son Force had begun to develop a fearsome reputation among the Viet Cong, becoming known as the ‘Tiger Men’. This name was derived from the tiger print camouflaged uniform that was issued by the C.I.A. Peterson took this as an opportunity to develop identity within the force and order the creation of tiger head beret badges and a supply of green berets.
“The Truong Son Force has attained one of the best combat records in Vietnam by inflicting heavy causalities and equipment losses on the Viet Cong while sustaining minimum friendly losses.”
By 1965 the Tiger Men force had a strength of 1200 men and an operational fund of 5 million Vietnamese piastres ($50,000 US). A strict training procedure had been developed, seeing an initial training period of six to eight weeks. As the force developed an additional base was created. The Montagnard named it Dam San base, after Peterson. They explained Dam San was the Rhade name they had given him, representing a legendary warrior who was victorious in all of his battles that no one could conquer except the spirit of the sun.
September 1964 saw the actions that would win Peterson’s the distinguished military cross. During this period a large Montagnard revolt occurred. Peterson played a critical role negotiating between the tribes and districts, diffusing the situation. Under conditions of heightened sensitivity and a high degree of personal risk, Peterson approached rebel leaders establishing talks with them and local leaders.
Peterson’s was also awarded the South Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star. This was for his outstanding service to the Vietnamese Government and great successes with the Truong Son force.
September 1964 saw the actions that would win Peterson’s the distinguished military cross. During this period a large Montagnard revolt occurred. Peterson played a critical role negotiating between the tribes and districts, diffusing the situation. Under conditions of heightened sensitivity and a high degree of personal risk, Peterson approached rebel leaders establishing talks with them and local leaders.
Peterson’s was also awarded the South Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star. This was for his outstanding service to the Vietnamese Government and great successes with the Truong Son force.
Peterson’s successes created enemies. The Viet Cong began to pay particular attention to the Tiger Men because of their brutality but perhaps most dangerous of all was Peterson’s clash of interest with the Americans. Peterson was requested by the American’s to adapt his force into small assassination teams as part of the notorious Phoenix program. Peterson refused claiming it was incorrect and would danger his force. The C.I.A began to strongly resent Peterson and claimed he had established a “personality cult”. They questioned why an American could not do his job.
In times of high tensions, Peterson found that he had great support from all of his force and most leaders of Vietnam. However, his damaged relationship with the C.I.A ultimately lost him the command of the force. |
Peterson received an extraordinary send off from his Montagnard friends, receiving many generous gifts. This included numerous cloths and gowns that have since been presented to the Australian War Memorial. Unfortunately, the C.I.A were not so recognising of his hard work. Peterson became subject to cruel treatment and surveillance. He had suspicious items such as Vietnamese code breaking book planted on him to make others suspicious, his phone tapped, mail stopped and was banned from returning to the Ban Me Thuot Province.
Peterson was missed very much by the Vietnamese with many requesting for his return. This included a letter from the President of South Vietnam, Y-Bham Enuol describing how Peterson has been missed and how they still very much require his skills and leadership ability. Unfortunately Peterson was unable to return home back to Australia as his involvement with the Tiger Men was highly secretive and was arousing media suspicion. As a result of this he enjoyed a resting posting to Singapore before later returning to Australia. He was recommended for accelerated promotion after his great effort in Vietnam and was promoted to Major in 1965. In April 1970 Peterson returned to Saigon Vietnam with 2 Battalion, the Royal Australia Regiment (2 RAR) in command of Charlie company consisting of approximately 140 men. During this deployment his Company conducted typical operations against the Viet Cong. Peterson’s aggressive leadership and skilful use of Charlie Company resulted in him being awarded with a second silver star to the South Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. |
A particularly notable contact under Petersons command was the covert trailing of 120 Viet Cong through dense jungle. Charlie Company followed the large enemy force for 15 kilometres, eventually contacting them and effectively scattering them and preventing re organisation. His expert tactical knowledge and knowledge of the enemy saw his Company triumph.
Peterson’s successful tour of Vietnam was dampened after being hospitalised as a result of a transport accident where he sustained minor spinal injuries. While still recovering from the accident Peterson was personally requested by His Excellency Mr A. M. Morris, the Australian Ambassador to return to the central highlands (location of the Montagnard force in which he had be banned from) to gather intelligence. Peterson took on the tasking, returning to highlands unarmed with only the support of one of his soldiers.
In 1972 Peterson returned to Canberra and was responsible for equipment acquisition for the Infantry corps. Not long after returning Peterson was sent to Malaysia as an instructor for 2 years educating the Malaysian Army. He found this highly rewarding but endured some highly stressful and dangerous moments.
Peterson began to notice suspicious movements around him. Upon returning to his house in Malaysia one evening he observed two Russians carefully sneaky out of his property. This aroused suspicion within Peterson suggesting that it could perhaps be the Soviets probing into his secrete operations with the Tiger Men. One evening the unthinkable occurred. As a Major in the Australian Army working in Malaysia, Peterson received a phone call from an unidentified voice. “Major Peterson, I’m calling you because you can help us… We are prepared to pay for your help- twenty thousand dollars for the (military) information you can provide… If you provide the information we want, you will receive twenty thousand dollars in cash. If you don’t, then you will die”. The voice proceeded to tell Peterson that he had been and is currently being watched. Peterson was astounded and frightened by the call. Stranded in a foreign country and informed not to contact any security force or he will killed, he found himself in a very difficult situation.
The only information about the caller was that their group were responsible for recent rocket attacks on Malaysian Army bases and the recent success against the forces near the Thai border. Terrified, Peterson contacted Malaysian specialist police where a meet with the unidentified group was scheduled. Fortunately, the group never showed and Peterson was not contacted. It is still unknown today what group is responsible for the threat that was made.
In 1975 Peterson returned to Australia. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and posted to Victoria Barracks, Brisbane. Later that year Peterson retired from the Army, predominately because of injuries caused by the transport accident in Vietnam.
Peterson’s successful tour of Vietnam was dampened after being hospitalised as a result of a transport accident where he sustained minor spinal injuries. While still recovering from the accident Peterson was personally requested by His Excellency Mr A. M. Morris, the Australian Ambassador to return to the central highlands (location of the Montagnard force in which he had be banned from) to gather intelligence. Peterson took on the tasking, returning to highlands unarmed with only the support of one of his soldiers.
In 1972 Peterson returned to Canberra and was responsible for equipment acquisition for the Infantry corps. Not long after returning Peterson was sent to Malaysia as an instructor for 2 years educating the Malaysian Army. He found this highly rewarding but endured some highly stressful and dangerous moments.
Peterson began to notice suspicious movements around him. Upon returning to his house in Malaysia one evening he observed two Russians carefully sneaky out of his property. This aroused suspicion within Peterson suggesting that it could perhaps be the Soviets probing into his secrete operations with the Tiger Men. One evening the unthinkable occurred. As a Major in the Australian Army working in Malaysia, Peterson received a phone call from an unidentified voice. “Major Peterson, I’m calling you because you can help us… We are prepared to pay for your help- twenty thousand dollars for the (military) information you can provide… If you provide the information we want, you will receive twenty thousand dollars in cash. If you don’t, then you will die”. The voice proceeded to tell Peterson that he had been and is currently being watched. Peterson was astounded and frightened by the call. Stranded in a foreign country and informed not to contact any security force or he will killed, he found himself in a very difficult situation.
The only information about the caller was that their group were responsible for recent rocket attacks on Malaysian Army bases and the recent success against the forces near the Thai border. Terrified, Peterson contacted Malaysian specialist police where a meet with the unidentified group was scheduled. Fortunately, the group never showed and Peterson was not contacted. It is still unknown today what group is responsible for the threat that was made.
In 1975 Peterson returned to Australia. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and posted to Victoria Barracks, Brisbane. Later that year Peterson retired from the Army, predominately because of injuries caused by the transport accident in Vietnam.