Ken Semmler - Happy RAAF Veteran of Many Adventures, Now amongst the Grape Vines.

Introducing Ken Semmler - Fighter Pilot, Vietnam Veteran and Aid De Comp.

Ken says he had10 happy years in the RAAF from 1963 to 1973.

Initially, after training, he was on Sabres at Williamtown.  He spent time in Darwin during Indonesian Confrontation before being posted to Mirages.

Ken then participated in Operation Fast Caravan flying Mirages from Williamtown to  Butterworth in 1967.

As an aside, in RAAF Base Butterworth and in Singapore, he had great experiences as ‘gear and flap’ man with Transport Support Flight on C-47 Dakotas.

Ken was posted as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam to the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron USAF from Jan - Nov 70.

Then a change of pace, he became ADC to His Excellency the late Sir Paul Hasluck to from Feb 71 to mid 72.

He resigned from the RAAF in late 1972 when his Dad passed away. 

Ken says he could never repay the Air Force for what it did for him in those 10 years.

He then became involved in Grape Industry and the community in the Barossa Valley when he now lives running Saint Jakobi Vineyards with wife Helen.