 Promoted to air commodore , in April 1971 , McNamara became the last Commander RAAF Forces Vietnam and Deputy Commander Australian Force Vietnam ( AFV ) . Believing that the Air Force paid " lip service " to its army co @-@ operation responsibilities in the 1950s and 1960s , he familiarised himself with the finer points of air / ground operations by accompanying No. 9 Squadron helicopters on missions supporting 1st Australian Task Force in Phuoc Tuy Province . Given the responsibility of overseeing the withdrawal of the RAAF from Vietnam in 1972 , McNamara was praised for his " wise and patient counsel , devotion to duty and firm control " , leading to his appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in September that year . In 1973 , he was posted to the United States as the Australian Air Attache to Washington , D.C. Promoted to air vice marshal , he returned to Australia in 1975 and took up duties as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff , which he later described as " an invaluable learning experience for the top job " . He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia ( AO ) on 7 June 1976 for " distinguished service in responsible positions " . 
