On This Day

1976-1999 > Post Vietnam

September 8, 2019

The decommissioned USS Goldsborough arrived at Garden Island after purchase from the USN for equipment  to establish training facilities for maintenance personnel and spare parts for RAN DDGs

September 8, 2019

HMAS Swan becomes the first RAN ship to visit China in 32 years, docking at Shangahi.

August 3, 2019

The decommissioned USS Goldsborough arrived at Garden Island after purchase from the USN for equipment  to establish training facilities for maintenance personnel and spare parts for RAN DDGs

November 9, 2009

A de Havilland Canada DHC-8-202Q Dash 8 commenced flying for the R.A.N. Hydrography Institute.

October 15, 1999

The guided missile destroyer HMAS PERTH, (CAPT L. Rago, RAN), was decommissioned at Sydney after a career spanning 34 years. She was the first of the three DDG’s to be paid off, and was eventually sunk as a dive wreck near Seal Rock, Albany, WA.

September 20, 1999

An international task force arrives of Dili, (East Timor), to commence service in support of Operation Warden. INTERFET, (International Force), troops under Australian leadership land in East Timor to commence UN mandated peace enforcement activities. It included HMA Ships Tobruk, Balikpapan, Brunei and Labuan, Success, Adelaide, and HMNZS Te Kaha and HMS Glasgow,

July 10, 1999

The Collins class submarine HMAS WALLER, was commissioned. WALLER was laid down at The Australian Submarine Corporation, Adelaide, and launched on 14 March 1997.

July 3, 1999

VADM D. J. Shackleton, AO, RAN, was appointed Chief of Naval Staff.

June 10, 1999

HMAS JERVIS BAY, (high speed catamaran), was commissioned in Hobart. The vessel was a civilian high speed catamaran leased from the builders, (INCAT), for a two year period. She was based in Darwin and used extensively to ferry troops and equipment to and from Dili, (East Timor), following the arrival of the International Force, (INTERFET), which had been deployed to restore peace to the troubled region. Known fondly as the ‘Dili-Express’, she was returned to her owners in 2001.

May 18, 1999

RADM J. R. Lord, AM, RAN, was appointed as Maritime Commander Australia.

May 15, 1999

The Huon class mine hunter coastal HMAS HUON, was commissioned. HUON was laid down in ADI Yard, Newcastle, NSW, and launched on 12 July 1997.

April 26, 1999

HMAS Tobruk II was assigned the difficult task of supporting the investigation and recovery of a RAAF F-111G aircraft which had crashed on the Malaysian Island of Pulau Aur while participating in an International Air Defence Exercise. Tragically both the F-111’s aircrew, Flight Lieutenant Anthony Short and Squadron Leader Stephen Hobbs, were killed in the accident. Members of Tobruk’s crew, along with the RAAF Accident Investigation Team, erected a white cross at the crash site in memory of the aircrew.

April 24, 1999

HMAS PERTH, (destroyer), and HMAS ARUNTA, (frigate), arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, (Saigon), Vietnam, for a four day port visit. This was the first visit to Vietnam for Australian ships since the end of the Vietnam War. The following day an ANZAC Day dawn service was held onboard PERTH, which had seen action during the Vietnam War.

December 29, 1998

HMAS NEWCASTLE, (guided missile frigate), located the damaged yacht SOLO GLOBE CHALLENGER. Two injured crewmen were transferred from the yacht to NEWCASTLE, while the yacht waited for a trawler to tow her into the port of Eden, NSW. NEWCASTLE also located the damaged yacht BUSINESS POST NAIAD, with two dead crewmen onboard. The other seven crewmen had been rescued the day before by the Careflight helicopter. NEWCASTLE stood by the yacht until the NSW Police Launch NEMISIS arrived to tow the vessel to Sydney. Of the 115 yachts which started the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, only 44 completed the race, five yachts sank and six lives were lost. 55 people were airlifted from yachts, and approximately 53 people had been injured when their yachts were damaged or sunk during the storm on 26-28 December.

December 28, 1998

At 0320 a RAN Sea King helicopter winched onboard three injured crewmen from the badly damaged yacht SWORD OF ORION, during the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

At the same time a second Sea King was searching for the yacht WINSTON CHURCHILL, using her night vision capability, (the yacht had actually sunk, but at 2130 that evening a liferaft with two of her crew in it was spotted by another Sea King helicopter, and the men were winched to safety).

In both cases the aircrewman of the Sea King helicopters were required to enter the water to affect the rescue.

At 0400 HMAS NEWSCASTLE, (guided missile frigate), sailed from Sydney to also join the search for missing and damaged yachts. Subsequently the aircrewmen of both helicopters, (PO B.J. Lee and PO B.S. Pashley), were awarded the Bravery Medal. Group Citations for Bravery were also awarded to three RAN Sea King Helicopter crews.

December 27, 1998

The RAN was requested to provide assistance to rescue yachtsmen involved in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Exceptionally strong winds and heavy seas had damaged several yachts, including several that were dismasted or capsized. HMAS NEWCASTLE, (guided missile frigate), was order to sail at short notice, and two Sea King Helicopters from NAS Nowra were activated to assist Police and other rescue helicopters

December 12, 1998

The ANZAC class frigate HMAS ARUNTA, was commissioned. ARUNTA was laid down in Tenix Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, and launched on 28 June 1996.

November 14, 1998

The Royal Australian Navy’s first female pilot, Sub Lieutenant Natalee McDougall, RAN, graduated from the Australian Defence Academy’s helicopter training facility after 17 months of intensive classroom and practical training at RAAF Base Fairbairn. She joined 723 Squadron the following January.

September 11, 1998

HMAS TORRENS, (destroyer escort), was decommissioned at HMAS STIRLING, after a career lasting 27 years. TORRENS was the last of the six River class destroyer escorts, which commenced service in the RAN during the 1960’s, and early 1970’s. TORRENS was sunk as a target in June 1999, by a Mk 48 torpedo, fired from HMAS FARNCOMB, (Collins class submarine)

May 5, 1998

A massive fire breaks out in the engine room of HMAS WESTRALIA, (tanker), then operating off the Western Australian coast, which leads to the deaths of four RAN personnel. Those killed were MIDN Megan Pelly, RAN, PO Shaun Smith, LS Bradley Meek, and AB Phillip Carroll. An enquiry into the accident revealed that the Navy had allowed inappropriate flexible fuel hoses to be fitted to the engines during a recent refit, and that one of these leaked and sprayed vaporized fuel onto the hot engine, which caused a huge fireball to engulf the engine room.

January 31, 1998

The Collins class submarine, HMAS FARNCOMB was commissioned at Adelaide, SA. FARNCOMB was laid down in the Australian Submarine Corporation, and launched on 15 December 1995.

December 14, 1997

The former destroyer escort HMAS SWAN was sunk as a dive wreck in Geographe Bay, WA.

November 13, 1997

HMAS Moresby decommissioned, having steamed 1,170,421.7nm (or 2,167,620.9km) in 88,241.8 hours underway. She retired as the oldest ship in the fleet at 33 years of age, and was the last to feature teak decks. The ship was sold via public tender in 1999 and renamed MV Patricia Anne Hotung. She was later used to transport and repatriate Timorese refugees from Indonesia back to Timor-Leste

July 1, 1997

VADM D. B. Chalmers, AO, RAN, was appointed at Chief of Naval Staff.

April 9, 1997

Ex-HMAS VAMPIRE, (Daring class destroyer), was transferred outright, as a gift from the Australian Government to the Australian National Maritime Museum, in Sydney.