Received this photo of young Peter Hellmrich (centre) heading off to the Vietnam War, from Kerrie Hannan today along with some other great stories of her late husband Bill Hannan, the Manly big wave surfer of the 60s.
Kerrie writes…
I have a couple of shots of Pete surfing in Vietnam, or not actually surfing, exiting the water carrying a surf board and the other standing on a beach. The beach could be any beach – no barbed wire or anything – the only thing that makes the photo a bit different is the fact that Pete is wearing an Army dog tag ID around his neck.
Pete was definitely a Sydney surfer in the 60s, from North Steyne along with John Smythe, both founding members of the Manly Pacific Board Riders’ Club. A few years after returning from Vietnam Pete moved to Ballina and then to Pambula where he lived for several decades before passing away on 1 January 2010. He remained a keen surfer all his life.
[Thanks for this Kerrie]
Peter Hellmrich, Vietnam c1969, photo courtesy John Smythe
Peter Hellmrich and mates in tent, Vietnam c1969, photo courtesy John Smythe
Gordon Woods Malibu on the beach at Vung Tau, Vietnam, titled: Back Beach, Vung Tau, November 1968, Photo Kerry Seebohm.
Photo courtesy of the fantastic blog Charlie Don’t Surf
Surfed the same area in April, ’68 …
Don’t recall any barbed wire … the waves were OK 2′ beach break … Hardly anyone else on the beach.
Bought a box of Gulf wax at a roadside store on the way from the city.
Pete
20 Jan 12 at 4:26 pm
thanks for the comment – do you remember the boards…?
Gary Crockett
23 Jan 12 at 12:36 am