The US Army 135th Assault Helicopter Company’s call sign was EMU. It wasn’t until the Australians got there that someone told them an emu is a flightless bird. Like an ostrich, only more stupid! EMU (Experimental Military Unit) was a fully integrated unit of US Army and RAN personnel.

You’re just a truck driver, but you’re also an air ambulance. It was about supporting the guys on the ground. They knew that if they called up somebody, help would come. That was my personal mission anyway. To always go. I was involved in situations where some people refused to go. That didn’t go down very well with me.