Lieutenant Casadio honoured by Club
Lieutenant Casadio.
Lieutenant Anthony Austin Casadio, 22, who was killed when the American gunship helicopter he was flying crashed in Vietnam in 1968, was the first man from the City of Mount Gambier to give his life in the Vietnam War.
Lieutenant Casadio was the only son of Mr and Mrs R F M Casadio, of Acacia Street.
He joined the Royal Australian Navy in August, 1964, qualified as a pilot and later transferred to helicopters.
He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in February, 1968. Lieutenant Casadio had been in almost continuous action since he was posted to Vietnam in October, 1967.
Lieutenant Casadio and PO Aircrewman O C Phillips, 32, married, of Bassendean, WA, who was killed at the same time, were members of the RAN helicopter flight in Vietnam. THE Navy Department said that the two men were serving in the crew of an American gunship helicopter when it crashed near Blackhorse, 40 miles north east of Saigon. The helicopter was burnt out. Their flight had been serving with the US Army’s 135th Aviation Company at Blackorse.
After four months at Flinders Naval Base in 1964, Lieutenant Casadio trained as a pilot at Point Cook.
Attended MBC
Lieutenant Casadio attended Marist Brothers’ College where he was captian of Lavalla House and Captain of the College baseball team. He was the College senior athletics champion in 1963. For four years he represented the College at the combined Catholic Sports in Melbourne.
Lieutenant Casadio was a member of the Air Training Corps for 2 ½ years and was a flight Sergeant. In January, 1963, he topped the ATC senior NCO course at Edinburgh Airfield. Lieutenant Casadio passed his final test on Vampire jet aircraft at the Advanced Flying Training School at the RAAF Base, Pearce, WA. His graduation ceremony was on March 3, 1966. Shortly afterwards he was promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant. Early in 1967 he was posted from Nowra Naval Air Station, NWS, to HMAS Melbourne as a pilot. He was next posted to HMAS Sydney and trained as a helicopter pilot.
Four decorations
Lieutenant Casadio was decorated four times during his ten months active service in Vietnam.
He was awarded a DFC by the US in November, 1967, when he landed his damaged helicopter and saved the aircraft and the lives of other crew members. His action was termed “heroism beyond the call of duty”.
The United States twice awarded him the American Air Medal for missions over hostile areas in Vietnam.
His MID from the Australian Government noted his fearfulness during operations under enemy fire.
School awards
Awards are mad annually at Marist Brothers College in memory of Lieutenant Casadio, a former student. The trophies are awarded in the senior and junior schools and are known as the Lieutenant Casadio Memorial Trophies for character and leadership.
When the awards were presented for the first time in 1970, Brother Aiden told the small group of invited guests, who included Lieutenant Casadio’s parents and sister, that the College was proud that Tony had lived up to the College of motto of constancy and purpose.
RAN Lieutenant E S Banks, who was present that year to present the awards, said that General Westmoreland, the US Commander in Vietnam, had wished to promote Lieutenant Casadio in the field but this had not been possible because of Australian regulations. Mention was also made that about $120 towards the perpetual trophies had been donated by Lieutenant Casadio’s comrades in Vietnam.
Brother Godric recalled that he had enrolled Lieutenant Casadio when he first attended the College and spoke of the leadership and loyalty he had shown in his school days.