 Soon after the Burmese Army staged a coup, seizing control and moving the country towards communist China, after which Serong made arrangements to leave.In April 1962 Serong returned to Australia, visiting Vietnam on an information-gathering tour on his way home, though Australia had not yet made a decision to provide military assistance to South Vietnam.He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List the same year.