On This Day

1960-1975 > Vietnam era

July 3, 1970

First Macchi MB-326H delivered to RAN FAA

June 28, 1970

PO J. Kershler, and AB G. Kingston, of RAN Clearance Diving Team 3, carried out a night inspection of the hull of USS MEEKER COUNTY, following the sighting of Viet Cong divers in the anchorage of Vung Tau, Vietnam. The Australian divers found and removed a limpet mine from the vessel. The operation won a commendation from the Commander, US Naval Forces, Vietnam.

June 24, 1970

RAN Fleet Air Arm Squadron No. 817, was awarded the USN Meritorious Unit Commendation for the rescue of 38 American sailors, following the collision of HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), and USS FRANK E EVANS, (destroyer).

June 21, 1970

AB B. K. Wojcik, (Clearance Diving Team 3), was killed in a vehicle accident in South Vietnam. Despite the number of times the Diving Team contingents had been under fire during their service in Vietnam, it is ironic that the unit’s only death was in an accident.

June 9, 1970

HMAS JEPARIT arrived at Vung Tau with supplies for 7 RAR, and support forces.

June 7, 1970

Two RAN Skyhawk aircraft, piloted by LCDR John P. Park, USN, and LEUT Errol Kavanaugh, RAN, set an Australian distance record by flying 3379 kms in four and a half hours.

June 6, 1970

HMAS HOBART, (guided missile destroyer), engaged various targets with her 5 inch guns, while serving on the gun-line in Vietnam.

May 25, 1970

The Naval Historical Society of Australia was formed.

May 18, 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 Viet Cong battalion. Three battalions of the 10th Regiment, 7th ARVN Division were inserted around the outpost by slicks of the EMUs and the Dutchmasters (B Troop, 7th Squadron, US Army 1st Cavalry, based at Vinh Long). The combined flight with Lieutenant Commander David Farthing as mission commander, received heavy fire from small arms and machine guns throughout the six-hour long operation. The lead helicopter, piloted again by the unfortunate Lieutenant Marum, received multiple hits and was forced to break off and return to Bearcat. Sub Lieutenant Andy Perry, RAN, who was airborne on another mission then, volunteered to lead the assault landings. Leading the assault Perry’s Huey was badly damaged during the first insertion but made flyable in the landing zone under heavy fire. Sub Lieutenant Perry then took off and led two more lifts of troops into the bitterly contested landing zone taking further enemy fire that came through the helicopter’s windshield. A piece of shrapnel came off the pedals of the aircraft and hit Perry on the foot. Fortunately his injuries were superficial and later that night he took part in three more landings despite the fact that his cockpit lights and instruments were no longer functioning. The brand new helicopter, which Sub Lieutenant Perry was flying on this day, was so badly damaged that it never flew again. The 21-year old Sub Lieutenant was later awarded the United States ‘Silver Star’ for his part in the action.

May 15, 1970

HMAS HOBART, (guided missile destroyer), supported the 1st Australian Task Force in its advance in the Long Hai hills, Vietnam.

May 7, 1970

HM Ships POPHAM and NEASHAM, (inshore minesweepers), were purchased for conversion to diving tenders.

Clearance Diving Team 3, (LEUT R.S. Blue, RAN), cleared 1040 tons of explosive ordnance from an area of 36 hectares at Dong Ha, Vietnam, between 24 March and 7 May. The task was made difficult by the presence of WWII Japanese and French shells.

April 28, 1970

Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, raised her flag in the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA at Sydney, to mark the commencement of the Bi-Centenary celebrations to commemorate CAPT James Cook’s landing at Botany Bay in 1770. Some 30 warships and five sailing vessels, from 16 nations, were present on the occasion.

April 16, 1970

An international fleet of 48 vessels from 10 nations visited Sydney for the Bicentenary of CAPT James Cook’s landing.

Six of the ships were sail-training vessels:NIPPON MARU, (Japan), LIBERTAD, (Argentina), GLORIA, (Colombia), REGINA MARIS, (Norway), ESMERALDA, (Chile), and DEWARUTJI, (Indonesia).

Australian naval vessels involved were; HMA Ships, SYDNEY, STALWART, PERTH, BRISBANE, SUPPLY, SWAN, STUART, PARRAMATTA, VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, QUEENBOROUGH, MORESBY, OVENS, CURLEW, TEAL, GULL, SNIPE, HAWK, IBIS, ARROW, BAYONET, BARRICADE, BARBETTE, BOMBARD, and BANDOLIER.

British naval vessels involved were; HM Ships, OLMEDA, BLAKE, BRITANNIA, EURYALUS, WHITBY, and PLYMOUTH.

Other naval vessels involved were; HMNZ Ships LACHLAN, and ENDEAVOUR. US Ships BAINBRIDGE and BELKNAP. HNLM Ships VAN SPEIJK, and GALEN. NRP COMMANDANTE JOAO BELO, (Portugal), and FNS ENSEIGNE DE VAISSEAU HENRY, (France).

The guided missile destroyer HMAS HOBART, (CAPT R. C. Swan, RAN), fired on enemy positions south of Phan Thiet, Vietnam. As a result of this action 20 enemy dead were later counted in the area.

March 28, 1970

HMAS VENDETTA, (Daring class destroyer), completed her deployment in Vietnam. VENDETTA fired 13,709 rounds against the enemy.

March 16, 1970

HMAS COONAWARRA, (shore establishment in Darwin), was commissioned at Berrimah. In 2003 the base was closed and all activities transferred to Darwin Naval Base located at Larrakeyah.

March 10, 1970

HMAS PERTH, (guided missile destroyer), operated on the destroyer screen of the USS KITTY HAWK, (aircraft carrier), during air strikes against North Vietnamese troops in Laos.

March 6, 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 shell detonated as the helicopter was hovering above the landing zone with the explosion completely destroying the helicopter and killing two ARVN soldiers travelling in it. Seriously wounded, Lieutenant Gibson was evacuated to Australia and did not return to the RANHFV

February 28, 1970

HMAS PARRAMATTA, (destroyer escort), collided with the ferry BELLUBERA in Sydney Harbour. There was no loss of life.

February 22, 1970

HMAS PERTH, (guided missile destroyer), bombarded enemy troop assembly points near Nui Dat, Vietnam, in support of attacks by the 1st Australian Task Force. PERTH destroyed buildings, wells, bridges, and boats.

February 16, 1970

Fast troop transport HMAS SYDNEY leaves Garden Island, Sydney for Vietnam with the 7th Bn RAR.

February 11, 1970

RAN Clearance Diving Team 3 completed a nine-day search-and-destroy operation in the Phu Cuong area of Vietnam. The team destroyed three enemy bunkers and a large quantity of ordnance. Three Viet Cong soldiers were killed in the operation.

February 1, 1970

HMAS PERTH (guided missile destroyer), apprehended and boarded a fishing vessel off Phu Quoc Island and escorted it to port for interrogation. The Vietnamese crew claimed it was carrying an offer of surrender from Viet Cong forces.

January 20, 1970

The River class, (modified type 12 frigate), destroyer escort, HMAS SWAN, (CMDR D. W. Falconer, RAN), was commissioned. SWAN was laid down in Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, on 18 August 1965, and launched on 16 December 1967. Mrs Fairhall, (Wife of the Minister of the Navy), performed the launching ceremony. 1976 HMA Ships HAWK and GULL, (minesweepers),were sold out of service at Sydney.

January 14, 1970

The following awards for gallantry were announced for rescue operations after the collision of HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), and the USS FRANK E EVANS, (destroyer):-GM LCDR R. J. Burns RANAFC LCDR D. N. Rodgers RANMBE LCDR C. J. Paterson RANMBE PO N. HeardBEM AB R J. RichardsonQueens Commendation for Bravery NA R. W. WinstonQueens Commendation for Bravery EM W. N. Baldwin

January 9, 1970

The following awards were announced for service in Vietnamese waters:-BEM CPO H. E. Frey, (HMAS PERTH)MID CAPT A. A. Willis, (HMAS HOBART)MID LCDR R. G. Taylor, (HMAS HOBART)LCDR Taylor later reached the rank of VADM and was Chief of Naval Staff from 1994 to 1996.