Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

Vietnam (1962-1975)

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

24/04/1947

Place of Birth

Sydney NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Ridley Street, Turner ACT

School(s) Attended

St. Edmund's College, Griffith ACT

Next of Kin

Son of Owen and Betty O'Mara of Ridley Street, Turner ACT

Service Number

2788408

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment

St. Edmund's College Memorial, corner McMillan Crescent and Canberra Avenue, Griffith ACT

O'Mara was a national serviceman who served in Vietnam from 8 February 1969 until 20 August 1969 including at the Battle of Binh Ba on 6-7 June 1969. The War Memorial collection record is described as "relating to the service of Private William (Bill) Owen O'Mara while on service with 6 Platoon, B Company, 5 RAR in Vietnam, 1969. The items are: 12 pages of handwritten notes, captions and recollections associated with photographs taken by O'Mara; calendar from 1969 with her photograph given to Bill O'Mara by his girlfriend, Beverley, (later his wife). Monthly money totals of O'Mara's winnings from running the 'Crown and Anchor' game in the company canteen have been added to the calendar." There is also a photograph of O'Mara with two other men of 5RAR. After the war O'Mara worked for the stockbroking firm of Bain & Co. He later became a member of the Australian Veterans' Vietnam Reconstruction Group. He died on 3 August 2019.

Nominal Roll of Vietnam Veterans http://www.vietnamroll.gov.au
ACT Electoral Rolls 1916 to 1967 http://canberraheritageportal.org/default.php
Paul Ham, 'Vietnam: The Australian War', 2007 (pp. 482, 483, 565, 571)
AWM Collection Record: PR03097
AWM Collection Record: P03806.007
The Canberra Times - 24 January 1963, 10 August 2019