OpenTube

Vietnam War Hero, Military Cross Recipient | Michael von Berg Recalls the Vietnam War

War Whispers

84,058 views

Michael von Berg - Interviewed on 15th July 2004

Michael von Berg MC served as a Platoon Commander with the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5 RAR) during the Vietnam War. In this in-depth interview, he recalls his early training, leading men into combat, the chaos of jungle warfare, and the moments that earned him the Military Cross.
After Vietnam, Michael went on to serve with elite Australian special forces units, including the SAS and 2 Commando Company. His story reflects courage, leadership, and the lifelong impact of war.

Watch this powerful conversation about Vietnam, survival, and the enduring bonds of soldiers who fought side by side.

📌 Subscribe for more Australian war stories!
@warwhispersyt

💥 Support the Australian War Memorial & help preserve veteran stories:
🔗 https://awm.my.salesforce-sites.com/d...

📌Watch the full interview here
🔗 https://australiansatwarfilmarchive.u...

#VietnamWar #AustralianArmy #SAS #5RAR #MichaelVonBerg #MilitaryCross #WarStories #VietnamVeterans #CombatLeadership #WarWhispersPodcast

20 Comments

@darneyoung537 10 months ago

Thank you for your service Sir and to all our boys who fought in Vietnam as well as other wars ❤🇦🇺🐨🐨🇦🇺❤️

@anthonyburke5656 10 months ago

I remember we hit a VC Tax Group, went back to the Hill. Then went to Saigon and had a big piss-up in a swish hotel. Two of our blokes were linguists in Vietnamese. In the big function room was a big function of locals, a huge meal and endless speeches. One of our linguists started translating the speeches, it was a “Long Service” award ceremony for the VC Cadre! We went back to our drinking and let them be. The next patrol we went on, we sprung an ambush, when we searched the bodies of the enemy we killed in the ambush, there was a package of clean laundry with laundry marks from the hotel where we had our piss-up.

@davidcatterall5956 11 months ago

A great soldier!
Taught & mentored by many courageous & competent soldiers such as ‘Dasher’ Wheatley from whom he obviously learnt a lot!
Responsible as my ‘Brother’ at OCS Portsea, for me seeing through that course & graduating to serve a 20 year career in the Army as a logistician & hopefully contributed to the successful support by the much needed Centurion Tanks to the Infantry Battalions throughout 1968!

@Jay-ro2vn 10 months ago

Phantoms of the jungle. I recently just started getting into Australia's involvement in the war. I didn't realise how effective they were against the NVA and VC.

@TH-gi6tl 10 months ago

Mick came in for our pre week of basic recon course in 2020, was a huge honour to get to pick his brain on all aspects of soldiering.

@chuckle79 11 months ago

A True Australian patriot. A mentally and physically strong man. A great man.

@mackenziedog1872 11 months ago

NZ here. I did 4 months 16 hours a day in jail with a veteran. I've seen haka in WW11 film but no other Kiwi war stuff. A decade ago I got a very very severe Traumatic Brain Injury so recent times had me watch a lot of American Vietnam stuff to feel glad I wasn't doing life as tough as them. I've done too much war stuff. My own war now is to survive the bigotry of the hippie haters❤

@zopf-fr 9 months ago

The man still has a twinkle in his eyes. Really awesome bloke.
Love from Scotland.

@Miles-bq4yn 10 months ago

An Australian legend who led Australia’s finest. 🇦🇺

@mrrberger 10 months ago

4hrs of my life well spent mouth shut, ears open and thanking how lucky I am for others having fought to protect my great life.

@thelaughingprophet2275 11 months ago

Thank you sir for your service. Thankyou for the interview War Whispers. God I hope our Australian officers are still cut from the same cloth as Micheal.

@Barbara-i6s3v 11 months ago

A great Australian man, truthful, tough, courageous & a leader of very brave men. God Bless you Michael & all the Soldiers who have served our Country. 🙏🙏

@emanuelreynolds7402 11 months ago

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRFICES
TRUE LEGEND

@PaulGeddes-t3v 9 months ago

Michael described some shocking things that the VC had done to innocent civilians. His calmness and leadership skills must have been a big advantage for those under his command. Incredible story.

@julianshalders6047 11 months ago

Respect mate 👍. Legend stories.

@greg8598 9 months ago

Poor Mike is the sort of bloke that makes most of us look 'ordinary'. Obviously I am full of admiration for how he conducted himself in his army career. His frustration with no-one really 'understanding' what the Nam vets went through is as close as he gets to any personal angst, but maybe that runs deep. All of these personal accounts are certainly getting people to understand more clearly what our vets went through over there. And I thank them all for reliving those painful memories.

@johnquayle7479 11 months ago

One of the best so far....

@dklipper9939 8 months ago

And don’t know what drew me to watch and listen to Michael von Berg tell his story, but I’m glad I did. Firstly what a great leader and human being, secondly I hope he’s had a great life with lots of support and friends, he deserves it.

@raymccumstie1439 8 months ago

Great interview I always respect our Men and Women who go to War for Australia. I have a very good friend in his 80's who fought in Vietnam he doesn't talk about it much but whenever he does I listen.

@99bevo 6 months ago

Spoken Ike a true SASR veteran .

The rules of war are only a basic guide for those that want to survive.

If the enemy doesn't follow the rules of war then you must adapt to survive.

You do whatever you must do to complete to your mission objectives & go home still standing