In 1962, when he was 17, (Michael) John Sonneveld joined the 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse and served as a trooper for 2 years before joining an infantry unit. He was working as a schoolteacher and serving in the Citizen Military Forces until he decided to join the regular army.
John graduated from the Officer Training Unit on 11 October 1968 and then qualified as an Army pilot at 1st Aviation Regiment. He was posted to 161 (Independent) Reconnaissance Flight as a helicopter pilot, arriving in South Vietnam on 1 November 1970.
On 21 September 1971, the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was involved in a number of heavy contacts with the enemy in the area east of Route 2 in the northern half of Phuoc Tuy Province. This was the Battle of Nui Le during which John was tasked as direct support pilot to the 4th Battalion. He flew his unarmed Kiowa helicopter at low level over the contact area while being continually exposed to enemy fire.
For his actions, John was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). It was an award that he says belongs to the unit because he argues that any of the other pilots would have done the same had they been tasked with the same job.
While serving in Vietnam, John arranged for the adoption of an orphaned baby girl, and in 1972, he returned to Saigon to collect Marie Jean, whom he brought back safely to Australia.
