LEUT G. A. Ledger, RAN, piloted an Iroquois helicopter in a hazardous night operation to rescue 13 passengers trapped in four cable cars over Keppel Harbour in Singapore, during a heavy monsoon storm. The passengers had become trapped after the cable was damaged by the boom of a floating crane being towed down the harbour. LEUT Ledger was then on exchange with the Singaporean Air Force, and was awarded the Military State Commendation of Singapore.
The FFG-7, (Adelaide), class guided missile frigate HMAS SYDNEY, was commissioned. SYDNEY was laid down in Todd Pacific Shipyard, Seattle, USA, 16 January 1980, and launched on 26 September 1980. She was the fourth ship of the name to serve in the RAN.