Well-known for entertaining troops, particularly during the Vietnam War as a 17-year-old, Little Pattie was last year confirmed as the major entertainment for the Allied Forces and Nasho reunion in Moree for the night of Saturday, March 10, 2018.

This won’t be the first time Little Pattie has come to Moree, having visited many times over the years. The last time she was here was in 2010 when she was Moree’s Australia Day ambassador.

“Moree was one of the first places I ever went to as a performer, so I have incredble memories of Moree,” she said.

“In my recent history now I’ve been teaching at St Joseph’s College in Sydney, which is a boys school, and I’ve taught many boys from the Moree district.

“I might even get to meet some of their parents.”

Little Pattie said she jumped at the chance to return to Moree and perform for veterans from throughout the North West region at the 2018 Allied Forces and Nasho reunion, to be held from March 9 to 11.

“Over the years I’ve always had a close association with the forces, it doesn’t matter which conflict they’ve been in or which war they’ve fought,” she said.

“In particular, I’ve had a very close association with Vietnam veterans and their families and that’s always a great catalyst for me.

“I find it very hard to say no to something associated with Vietnam veterans.”

On August 16, 1966, 17-year-old Little Pattie became the youngest person to entertain troops during the Vietnam War, performing three concerts a day in Nui Dat, Vietnam, along with Col Joye and the Joy Boys.

She was singing onstage when the Battle of Long Tan started on August 18, less than 4km away. In the days after the battle, Little Pattie visited injured soldiers in hospital to comfort and sing to them.

Since then, Little Pattie has been passionate about helping veterans and their families in any way she can, donating her services at many fundraising concerts and special events for the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

In 1994 she received the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal in recognition of her services in support of the Australian Armed Forces in operations in Vietnam and in 2003 she received an Order of Australia Medal. 

In 2004 General Peter Cosgrove invited Pattie to be patron of FACE (Forces Advisory Council on Entertainment) and in 2005 she travelled to Iraq and the Middle East to entertain the troops over the Christmas/New Year period.

She also received the ‘MO’ Humanitarian Award for her ongoing contribution to the welfare of Vietnam Veterans in 2010.

Pattie said it’s not just about performing for veterans but helping where she can.

“I suppose when you do something at a younger age than normal - it wasn’t normal for a 17-year-old girl to go to a war zone - and I was always a very inquisitive person, so I did my best to understand our veterans, especially when I felt they weren’t treated very well by the government of the day,” she said.

“I don’t think we treated them very well or recognised what they went through.

“The government that sent them there let them down when they came home.

“I’m trying to make up for that.”

Pattie is also an ambassador for the families of veterans as part of Partners of Veterans Association, having always been interested in the welfare and wellbeing of all veterans and their families.

“It’s always difficult for the families,” she said.

“It isn’t just the Vietnam war - many people come back from many conflicts and many countries but the story is the same.

“Often they don’t want to talk about their experience and their experience was horrible, so they bottle it up and it can lead to a great deal of angst.

“It’s up to us as a society to do all we can to rectify that and acknowledge it and help.

“There are many great associations out there that do help.”

Pattie said reunions such as the Moree Allied Forces and Nasho reunion are a great opportunity for both returned and serving veterans and their families to get together.

“It’s important because they’re shared experiences; they might be from different conflicts but their experiences are the same,” she said.

“It’s incredibly important that we bring those people together as often as we can.

“Reunions like this, and I’ve been to many reunions over the years, they’re always extremely positive.”

Allied Forces and Nasho Reunion committee member Margaret Wetzler echoes the importance of veterans and their families coming together, particularly encouraging the family members of all veterans “past, present and gone” to attend the reunion with their loved ones.

“Come along and join in the comraderie of the vets,” she said.

“A lot of family members think they’re being disrespectful by coming along, but that’s not the case.

“I didn’t serve but my father did and I’m there to represent him and talk to the other vets and hear stories about what my father went through.

“That’s why we’re opening it up to everyone. There are more wars happening and we’re getting more returned. 

“We want to continue this on well into the future, especially for the families who might want closure.”

Little Pattie can’t wait to perform in Moree on the Saturday night of the reunion and said she’s particularly looking forward to the barbecue breakfast the following morning where she hopes to meet “as many veterans and their families as I can”.

She said she would also love to march with the veterans on Saturday morning if her schedule allows.

Those wishing to attend the reunion are encouraged to book a spot ASAP.

For bookings, email nashoreunion@hotmail.com or call John Tramby on 0428 659 048.

For more information about the reunion, visit the Allied Forces And NASHO Reunion Moree Facebook page.