ia ▁Con front ation , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁an ▁Officer ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire .< ref ▁name = OB E > The ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁– ▁Officer ▁( Mil it ary ) ▁( OB E ( M )), ▁Date ▁granted : ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁C itation : ▁AR MY ▁– ▁Infantry ▁– ▁Dist ingu ished ▁service ▁in ▁Bor neo </ ref > ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁ 3 ▁R AR ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁secret ▁Operation ▁Cla ret , ▁executing ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁cross ▁border ▁actions ▁including ▁several ▁highly ▁successful ▁amb ush es ▁against ▁Indones ian ▁forces . ▁ ▁From ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁Mc Donald ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Australian ▁Task ▁Force ▁in ▁South ▁Vietnam ▁until ▁its ▁withdraw al ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁leading ▁the ▁formation ▁during ▁counter - ins ur gency ▁operations ▁against ▁the ▁V iet ▁Cong ▁and ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁during ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War . ▁For ▁this ▁service ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Order .< ref ▁name = D SO > Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Order ▁( D SO ), ▁Date ▁granted : ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁C itation : ▁ 1 ▁Australian ▁Task ▁Force ▁Vietnam ▁– ▁Command ing </ ref > ▁He ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Division ▁in ▁Queensland ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁and ▁later ▁served ▁as ▁General ▁Officer ▁Command ing