Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day)2026 · Date · History · Messages
Australian War Memorial and Department of Veterans’ Affairs: historical Long Tan Day name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day August 18
About Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day)
Long Tan Day is the former name for Australia’s August 18 remembrance now officially known as Vietnam Veterans’ Day. The date recalls the 1966 Battle of Long Tan and now honors Australian personnel who served in the Vietnam War.
This is an Australian August observance and must not be confused with the separate U.S. National Vietnam War Veterans Day held on March 29.
Why Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day) matters
The commemoration acknowledges service, death, injury and the effects of war on veterans and their families.
The historic name emphasizes the battle from which the observance developed; the present name recognizes all Australian Vietnam veterans rather than only people who fought at Long Tan.
History of Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day)
On August 18, 1966, Australian and New Zealand service personnel fought a major battle at Long Tan. The Australian War Memorial documents annual remembrances connected to the battle.
The Australian War Memorial identifies the change in 1987 when Prime Minister Bob Hawke announced that Long Tan Day would be known as Vietnam Veterans’ Day. Department of Veterans’ Affairs guidance now uses the wider official title.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
Long Tan Day
How to Observe Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day)
Attend a locally announced commemorative service if it is accessible.
Read Australian War Memorial oral histories and Department of Veterans’ Affairs resources.
Offer respectful support to veterans and their families without assuming everyone shares the same experience of wartime service.
Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day) Facts
Date: August 18 in Australia.
Battle of Long Tan: August 18, 1966.
The former name Long Tan Day changed to Vietnam Veterans’ Day in 1987.
Not identical to the United States March 29 Vietnam War veterans observance.
Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day) Messages
May every veteran and bereaved family find respectful remembrance today.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs — annual August 18 Vietnam Veterans’ Day (opens in a new tab)
Institutional Current Wave 369
Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs — 60th anniversary 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Institutional Current Wave 369
Australian War Memorial — Long Tan Day historical name and 1987 change (opens in a new tab)
Institutional Current Wave 369
Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs — Battle of Long Tan commemoration (opens in a new tab)
National Veterans Authority
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day)?
18 August The documented recurrence rule is: 18 August.
Does Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day) fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Australian remembrance observance; “Long Tan Day” is the historical name now officially observed as Vietnam Veterans’ Day. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day)?
The documented basis is: Australian War Memorial and Department of Veterans’ Affairs: historical Long Tan Day name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day August 18. Supporting evidence includes Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs — Battle of Long Tan commemoration. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day) international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Australian remembrance observance; “Long Tan Day” is the historical name now officially observed as Vietnam Veterans’ Day. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-08.
When is Long Tan Day?
August 18 each year in Australia.
What is it called now?
Vietnam Veterans’ Day is the current Australian commemorative name.
When did the name change?
The Australian War Memorial records the 1987 announcement.
Is it the same as the U.S. National Vietnam War Veterans Day?
No. The U.S. observance is March 29 and has a different national scope.
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