Air Vice-Marshal RB (Bob) Treloar, AO (Ret’D)

Interviewer Gareth McCray OAM

Bob Treloar graduated as an RAAF Pilot in February 1968.

He then served in South Vietnam with No 9 Squadron 1969-70, flying Huey helicopters in support of the Australian Task Force including:

·      aeromedical evacuations,

·      dust-off extractions of wounded personnel;

·      insertion and extraction of SAS patrols;

·      combat assaults;

·      gunship operations,

·      people sniffers, and

·      psyops,  

He was mentioned-in-despatches for action in Vietnam.

He was posted to fighters including overseas postings to Butterworth, Malaysia with Nos 75 and 3 Squadrons flying Mirages. He commanded the RAAF’s first operational F/A-18 Squadron.  He subsequently commanded the Integrated Air Defence System at Butterworth Malaysia.

He was Commander Australian Theatre 1999-2001.

After retirement in 2001, he served on the ADF Airworthiness Board for 15 years.

He also served as a councillor with the Royal United Services Institute of New South Wales from 2002 until 2013, was President for three years, and remains a councillor emeritus of the Institute.

Bob joined the NSW Centenary of ANZAC Advisory Council on its formation in 2012, and within the Council chaired the History Committee responsible for the development a publishing of NSW and the Great War, a social and military history of New South Wales during the WW I period.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1988 and promoted to Officer of the Order in 2000.