On This Day
1976-1999 > Post Vietnam
On This Day - 1976-1999
- August 25, 1992
Serious allegations of sexual harassment of a female officer in HMAS SWAN, (destroyer escort), were made public.
- August 24, 1992
RADM R. A. K. Walls, A.O, Maritime Commander of the RAN, commanded RFU Forces in RIMPAC 92. United States, Canadian, Korean and Australian ships participated in the exercises. The Australian Squadron was HMA Ships HOBART, (guided missile destroyer), ADELAIDE, and CANBERRA, (guided missile frigates), OTWAY, (Oberon class submarine), and SUCCESS, (auxiliary oiler replenishment ship). A combined RAN Clearance Diving Team supported the Squadron.
- August 14, 1992
HMAS DARWIN, (guided missile frigate), arrived on station in the Arabian Gulf for her 115 day deployment. In this patrol she was to board 296 merchant ships passing through her Patrol area.
- August 6, 1992
HMAS OTWAY, (Oberon class submarine), became the first RAN submarine to fire Mk48 torpedoes against a manned submarine, when she fired on the US Submarine NEW YORK CITY, during RIMPAC exercises.
- July 23, 1992
The RAN’s Seahawk Helicopter Introduction and Transition Unit was commissioned as HS 816 Squadron, equipped with RAN S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters. This squadron was originally formed in 1940, and served in the Mediterranean and Norway.
- July 10, 1992
The Chief of Naval Staff, VADM Ian MacDougall, announced the names of eight ANZAC class frigates, to be built for the RAN. They were ANZAC, ARRERENTE, WARUMUNGU, STUART, PARRAMATTA, BALLARAT, TOOWOOMBA, and PERTH. A storm of protest rose from sailors who served in the destroyers ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA during WWII, who argued that the Aborigines had no system of spelling, and the names should remain unchanged.
- June 25, 1992
HMAS YARRA, (Type 12 frigate), departed from Sydney under tow, bound for India to be scrapped.
- May 25, 1992
The landing craft heavy, HMAS TARAKAN, (LEUT T. Watson, RAN), commenced a combined operation with the Great Barrier Reef Authority, to transfer over 90,000 giant clams, which were threatened with extinction due to overcrowding, to a new location on the reef. This massive task was named Operation Clamsaver.
- May 9, 1992
At the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, a national memorial was unveiled at Townsville, QLD. Personnel from HMA Ships PERTH, ADELAIDE, TOBRUK and JERVIS BAY, and US Ships BLUE RIDGE and FLETCHER, were present at the unveiling.
- May 8, 1992
The RAN set a maritime and environmental precedent in fitting Omnipure sewerage systems in all new and existing ships. Each installation cost approximately $1 million but guarantees sterilisation of all sewerage entering the sea.