Vietnam Vet’s Remarkable Life, A: The True Meaning of Mateship

It’s 1967 and Jethro is a 20-year-old Aussie lad who is about to take up his new posting in Vietnam. Five months later Jethro is on his way home in a medic chopper with a third of his body blown away: one leg is amputated, his right hand and half of his left hand — gone. And so begins Jethro’s journey back to a whole life. This is the story of a wounded soldier and what happens to survivors. And through all his darkest days, Jethro’s mates display the true Aussie spirit that has been mythologised since the days of the original Anzacs. Mates who stand by each other no matter what. This is the true story of what it means to be a solider and a man in Australia.John “Jethro” Thompson joined the Australian Army in 1964 and served in Sabah British North Borneo in 1965. In 1967 he was posted to 1 Field Squadron (RAE) in Vietnam. Five months later he was seriously wounded after standing on a landmine. In 1989 he received an Australia Day Achievement award and was made Life Member of the Vietnam Veterans Association in 1991. In 2006 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to war veterans. pp. 267 illustrated autobiography #1017