There was an extraordinary act of flying skill by Lieutenant Buchanan, RAN, and his crew for which the Australian pilot was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. While engaged in the ...
Australian Naval History on 24 November 1970
HMAS Adroit on SAR duties in company with HMAS Aware assisted in an attempt to salvage a ditched helicopter from HMAS Albatross after a Westland Wessex HAS.31A N7-201 881 crashed ...
Australian Naval History on 28 September 1970
The last recorded Sea Vampire Trainer flight took place and the aircraft were replaced by the CAC Aermacchi MB-326H (Macchi) from October 1970. The remaining six Vampires were sold during ...
Australian Naval History on 18 May 1970
The RANHFV took part in an intensive action in Kien Hoa province. A regional force outpost in the Binh Dai district had been overrun and then heavily fortified by a ...
Australian Naval History on 6 March 1970
Lieutenant Dave Gibson was seriously injured when he brought his helicopter into a landing zone east of Ben Tre that had been booby trapped with a 105mm artillery shell. The ...
Australian Naval History on 7 November 1969
HMAS Gull was paid off into operational reserve having steamed 199,042.7 nautical miles in almost seven years of active service. In a fitting postscript, Gull was awarded the Kelly Shield ...
Australian Naval History on 26 September 1969
HMAS Vendetta received a detailed handover from HMAS Brisbane in Subic Bay when she arrived for service during the Vietnam War. This was the occasion for Captain Willis, Brisbane (II)’s ...
Australian Naval History on 13 December 1968
HMAS Curlew recommissioned after conversion to the RANs first Minehunter. She had previously decommissioned on 19 December 1966 for the conversion. ...
Australian Naval History on 24 July 1968
HMAS Acute embarked a small medical team and went to the assistance of the American submarine, USS Indianapolis, 240 nautical miles west of Perth. One of Indianapolis’ crew was suffering ...
Australian Naval History on 22 November 1967
First Operational Grumman Tracker S2E aircraft delivered to the RAN. (One non flying S2A and one non flying S2E had been delivered in 1966 for training) ...