On This Day
1976-1999 > Post Vietnam
On This Day - 1976-1999
- September 24, 1984
HMAS ONSLOW became the world’s first conventionally powered submarine to be upgraded to guided missile capacity, on completion of a $39 million conversion at Cockatoo Dockyard, Sydney, when Harpoon sub-surface to surface UGM48 missile capacity was installed
- September 8, 1984
The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS GLADSTONE, was commissioned.
- August 31, 1984
The first male nursing officer, (SBLT G. Villiani, RAN), joined the Navy. He was unable to join the RANNS as it was a ‘womens’ service,’ so he joined the RAN as a special entry officer for nursing duties.
- August 26, 1984
HMAS GERALDTON, (patrol boat), was stranded, and damaged both propellers when she run aground on a reef northwest of Broome, WA.
- August 21, 1984
HMAS TOBRUK, (amphibious heavy lift ship), was used as floating accommodation for delegates attending the South Pacific Forum Conference held at Tuvalu, (formerly Ellice Islands), north-west of Fiji.
- August 17, 1984
HMAS IPSWICH, (patrol boat), intercepted and detained the Taiwanese fishing vessel YUAN JAAN, for illegally fishing off Mermaid Reef, west of Broome, WA. A court later ordered the forfeiture of the ship and her equipment.
The keel of the RAN’s first catamaran minesweeper, HMAS RUSHCUTTER, was laid at Tomago, NSW.
- August 5, 1984
The RAN’s first female Chief Bosun’s Mate, PO Janet Wicks, was appointed to HMAS CERBERUS, VIC.
- August 3, 1984
All women joining the RAN became liable for sea service
- July 27, 1984
HMAS BUCCANEER, (Attack class patrol boat), was paid off at Sydney.
- July 23, 1984
RAN Clearance Divers completed a survey of islands between Townsville and Bowen, QLD, to establish the concentration of reef-destroying Crown of Thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef. A previous survey was undertaken in 1973, and the 1984 survey showed numbers greatly reduced.
- July 21, 1984
The FFG-7, (Adelaide), class guided missile frigate HMAS DARWIN, (CMDR R. Bayley, RAN,), was commissioned at Seattle, USA. DARWIN was laid down in Todd Shipyard, Seattle, USA, and launched on 26 March 1982. Mrs Johnston, (Wife of the Administrator of the Northern Territory), performed the launching ceremony.
- July 16, 1984
RADM Nigel Berlyn was the last naval commander of Garden Island, Sydney.
- July 8, 1984
The personnel strength of the RAN was 16,696 officers and ratings.
- July 5, 1984
HMAS COOK, (survey ship), located the wreck of the Japanese submarine I-24, some 37 miles off Darwin. I-24 was the first Japanese vessel sunk by the RAN. She was sunk by HMA Ships DELORAINE, KATOOMBA, and LITHGOW, (corvettes), on 20 January, 1942.
- June 30, 1984
724 Squadron decommissioned at NAS Nowra
- June 28, 1984
The remaining ten serviceable Skyhawk fighter-bombers of the RAN Fleet Air Arm, were sold to New Zealand for $50.5 million.
- June 27, 1984
A former crewman of HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), staged a hunger strike at Sydney in protest against the sale of his old ship to Korea.
- June 21, 1984
HMAS BUCCANEER, (patrol boat), intercepted and turned back the 20,000 ton Argentinian container ship CALETA LEONES, which was attempting to escape Sydney Harbour without paying outstanding harbour dues and repair bills.
- June 20, 1984
Training ship HMAS JERVIS BAY, (CMDR J. Scott, RAN), rescued five survivors from the sinking yacht SHALOM, in heavy seas off Port Macquarie, NSW.
- June 16, 1984
The former HMAS MELBOURNE was sold to a Korean consortium for $1.7 million. It was later resold before delivery to Chinese interests.
- June 15, 1984
HMAS Barbette decommissioned streaming a 38.5 metre long decommissioning pennant. She was then transferred to the Indonesian Navy on 22 February 1985 and renamed KRI Siada.
- June 8, 1984
The last of the RAN’s new AS 350B Squirrel helicopters was delivered to 723 Squadron at NAS, Nowra. The first of the helicopters was accepted into service in March of that year
- June 4, 1984
HMAS IBIS, (Ton class minesweeper), was decommissioned at Sydney.
- June 2, 1984
The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS GEELONG, was commissioned.
- June 1, 1984
A flight of Grumman Tracker aircraft flew over the decommissioned HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), to mark the end of fixed wing aircraft in the RAN’s Fleet Air Arm.
