On This Day

1960-1975 > Vietnam era

October 15, 1971

HMAS Brisbane arrived back in Sydney after having left the Vietnam gunline for the last time on 5 September marking the end of the RAN’s combat role in the Vietnam War. Over the course of her two deployments to Vietnam, Brisbane had steamed nearly 70,000nm and fired over 15,000 rounds of 5-inch ammunition

October 8, 1971

HMA Submarine OTWAY, (LCDR T. Roach, RAN), with only two thirds of the crew aboard (44 men) rescued the crew of seven from a life raft, after the 101-year-old ketch ONE AND ALL, sank off Middleton Reef.

October 1, 1971

HMAS DIAMANTINA, (oceanographic research vessel), represented Australia at the Christmas Island Territory Day celebrations.

September 30, 1971

HMAS BRISBANE, (guided missile destroyer), sailed from Subic Bay on completion of her second deployment in Vietnam. BRISBANE fired 7,760 rounds in the deployment.

September 29, 1971

The Australian Naval Board announced the following gallantry awards to personnel of HMAS PERTH, (guided missile destroyer), for service in VietnamOBE CAPT I. M. Burnside, RAN; MBE LEUT D. J. Marrable, RAN;MID CRS W. F. Hunt.

September 13, 1971

HMAS BRISBANE, (guided missile destroyer), sailed from Vietnam, thus completing the RAN’s four-year involvement in the war.

August 20, 1971

The following gallantry awards were made to personnel of the RAN’s Helicopter Flight, for service in Vietnam:- BEM: Mechanician AE R. G. Markwell; MID: LEUT W. Kimpton, RAN.

July 9, 1971

Three members of the RAN’s Clearance Diving Team 3, received gallantry awards for service in Vietnam:- DSC LEUT A. Donald, RAN; DSM POCD B. Bailey; DSM LSCD J. Aldenhoven.

June 24, 1971

HMAS BRISBANE, (guided missile destroyer), supported an operation of the 1st Australian Task Force at Phuoc Tuy, Vietnam, with gunfire.

June 11, 1971

LEUT R. T. Griffen, RAN, of the RAN Helicopter Flight, was awarded the DFC for conspicuous gallantry in operations in Vietnam. LEUT Giffen died of illness before the award was gazetted.

June 8, 1971

RAN HFV pilots ceased flying combat missions in Vietnam and the maintenance section were stood down on the same day. The next few days were spent packing and saying goodbye to their American comrades. With the departure of the last group of RANHFV ’70, the four year long successful integration of Fleet Air Arm personnel with the 135th Assault Helicopter Company ended and the 135th’s Experimental Military Unit status came to an end. The integration of a helicopter flight into a US Army aviation company was an event unique in the history of the Royal Australian Navy. The gallantry and distinguished service of RANHFV members was recognised by the award of three MBEs, eight DSCs, five DFCs, one BEM, 24 mentions in dispatches and numerous Vietnamese and United States decorations

June 4, 1971

HMAS BRISBANE, (guided missile destroyer), participated in the repatriation of North Vietnamese POW’s in the demilitarised zone of Vietnam. Only 13 of the 570 POW’s expressed a wish to return to North Vietnam.

May 29, 1971

HMAS BRISBANE, (guided missile destroyer), destroyed enemy bunkers and mortar positions during a bombardment of the De-Militarised Zone in Vietnam.

May 21, 1971

HMAS Hawk, Curlew and Snipe deploy to Papua New Guinea to conduct a Mine Warfare Pilotage Survey and South West Pacific deployment during which they provided aid to the civil power in New Britain, Rabaul, in the aftermath of an earthquake.

May 10, 1971

RAN Clearance Diving Teams completed their service in Vietnam. Between February 1967 and May 1971, they carried out the following operations:- searched 7573 ships for mines and other underwater explosive devices, made 153 major dives, other than underwater ship searches, destroyed 358 tons of heavy ordnance, and completed 68 special operations, such as ambushes of enemy troops and divers, bunker searches, and the recovery of sunken vessels and aircraft. Total casualties were one accidentally killed and one wounded.

April 28, 1971

CAC Aermacchi MB-326H N14-078 crashed at Sussex Inlet, as a result of losing control during an inverted spin over the ocean. The crew, Lieutenant Errol Kavanagh, RAN and Lieutenant Peter Clark, RAN ejected safely with minor injuries.

April 14, 1971

RADM W. J. Dovers, CBE, DSC, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Her Majesty’s Australian Fleet.

April 9, 1971

The guided missile destroyer, HMAS BRISBANE, (CAPT R. G. Loosli, RAN), sank a Viet Cong sampan and destroyed several bunkers and a bridge, while in action off Phouc Tuy.

April 5, 1971

The guided missile destroyer HMAS BRISBANE, (CAPT R. G. Loosli, RAN), commenced her second deployment to Vietnam by shelling enemy bunkers and supply trails in the Long Hai hills.

April 1, 1971

The first long service and good conduct medals were awarded to native sailors of the Papua New Guinea Division of the RAN.

February 12, 1971

RADM H. B. Farncomb, CB, DSO, MVO, an original entry of the Royal Australian Naval College, and the first graduate to reach the rank of Captain, died in Sydney.

February 8, 1971

HMAS Snipe was recommissioned as a Minehunter

January 25, 1971

HMAS Barbette in company with HMAS Bayonet departed Sydney for their new home port at Cairns. They were later joined by HMAS Barricade. The three boats were greeted warmly on their arrival by both local dignitaries and members of the public, in spite of inclement weather.

January 17, 1971

HMAS PERTH, (guided missile destroyer), fired on Viet Cong ambush sites at An Xuyen, Vietnam, inflicting casualties.

December 30, 1970

Helicopters flown by the RAN Helicopter Flight operated from an advanced landing zone at Chau Lang, in Chau Doc Province, to strike at strong Viet Cong forces. The landing zone was under fire throughout the operation, and all helicopters reported hits from intense enemy machine-gun and small arms fire. The operation caused the Viet Cong heavy casualties and some 50 bodies were counted.