Sergeant Alan McNulty enlisted in the Australian Regular Army on 7th January, 1963. He was posted to 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment on 15th January, 1966 and served in South Vietnam during 1966/67. He returned to South Vietnam in January 1969 as Platoon Sergeant of 3 Platoon, A Company.
On the 11th May, 1969 a platoon of A Company was pinned down in a heavy contact against an enemy battalion headquarters position. The platoon commander was seriously wounded ten yards in front of the enemy position and could not be extracted despite several frontal attacks. Sergeant McNulty, leading eleven men, made repeated attempts over a period of five hours to outflank the enemy and assault from the rear. Each attempt was met by heavy and accurate rocket, claymore, and machine gun fire. Despite the risk of almost certain death or wounding, Sergeant McNulty could not be deterred in his efforts to rescue the platoon commander. He finally succeeded in getting himself and a soldier with a flame thrower into a position from which effective fire could be delivered into the enemy long enough to achieve the recovery of the officer.
In July, 1969, Sergeant McNulty was an adviser with a company of the Army of The Republic of Vietnam. The company came under sudden and heavy attack from an enemy company. The violence of the initial enemy rocket and machine gun fire caused seven casualties and created confusion amongst the friendly troops. Without regard for his own safety Sergeant McNulty advised and assisted the company commander in the organisation of his defences and the collection and evacuation of the wounded. As the enemy attack intensified Sergeant McNulty called for and calmly directed for several hours helicopter gunships and artillery, forcing the enemy to withdraw. His personal courage and professional advice was responsible for saving the South Vietnamese troops from further severe casualties and the possibility of being overrun by the enemy assault.
In August, 1969, Sergeant McNulty's platoon was engaged in two separate major contacts with superior size enemy forces entrenched in bunkers. On both occasions Sergeant McNulty inspired all ranks with his aggressiveness and courage which by now had become expected of him in all contacts with the enemy. On the 21st August, 1969 while attacking an enemy battalion position, over fifteen members of his platoon including Sergeant McNulty were wounded. Sergeant McNulty covered the withdrawal of other members of his platoon, assisted in their evacuation and was finally wounded a second time during his own evacuation.
Sergeant McNulty's outstanding conduct and personal courage has been inspirational to all members of his battalion and to South Vietnamese allies. His exemplary actions reflect great credit on himself, The Royal Australian Regiment and the Australian Army.