I was a Flight Nurse Officer attached to the Royal New Zealand Air Force,1968–1970. At the time I was known as Lieutenant Anne Turner, Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps (RNZNC).
I flew on many flights in and out of Vung Tau, Vietnam. My role as a Flight Nurse (Sister) was to accompany soldiers returning home and to nurse wounded – known as Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) – onboard. The plane was equipped with stretchers and there was often a coffin on the aircraft.
Typically, we transported about 70 soldiers into Vietnam. On arrival into Vung Tau, the C130 picked up around 70 soldiers returning to Whenuapai in New Zealand. One of the men I met returning home from Vietnam – Captain Mike Farland – I ended up marrying.
The photos above were part of a recruitment drive for the RNZNC. I was based at Whenuapai for my flight duties where I had attended the Aviation Medical Course for Medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and CASEVAC nursing.
Anne Farland
