The 17-year-old pop star who sang during the Battle of Long Tan
In short: In August 1966, a teenage Australian singer stood on a stage in Vietnam while a major battle erupted less than 4 kilometers away. While performing for soldiers amidst the conflict, Little Pattie was the smallest and most junior entertainer, observing countless jungle muzzle flashes.
Born in Paddington in 1949, Patricia Thelma Thompson began her career as a teenager in the early 1960s. Known as Little Pattie—a nickname she earned at school because she had two taller friends with the same first name—she quickly rose to fame. By age 14, she was recording surf pop with the Statesmen, releasing a debut single in November 1963 that peaked at number 19 on the national Kent Music Report.
Her career took a dramatic turn in 1966 when she was selected as an Australia Forces Sweetheart to perform for troops in Nui Dat, Vietnam. On August 16, at just 17 years old and standing 147 cm tall, she was performing three concerts a day with Col Joye and the Joy Boys. On August 18, the Battle of Long Tan began nearby. Despite being promised safety, she remained on stage until she received the 'fingers across the throat' signal—the industry shorthand for 'finish your set'—before being swiftly evacuated by Iroquois helicopters.
Pattie vividly recalls the instinctive fear of the night, describing the sight of thousands of orange lights from the gunfire in the jungle. Following the battle, she and Col Joye visited injured soldiers in the hospital to provide comfort through song. Her service was officially recognized in 1994 with the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal. Beyond her music, she became a prominent unionist and vocal teacher, eventually being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2009.
Her legacy is defined by this duality: a pop icon of the 'Stomp' dance craze and a resilient performer who faced the literal front lines of war. She continues to perform on the nostalgia circuit today, bridging her history as a teen idol with her role as a veteran of Australian entertainment.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Little Pattie
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