On This Day
1976-1999 > Post Vietnam
On This Day - 1976-1999
- July 3, 1982
HMAS BANKS, (survey ship small), was attached to HMAS CRESWELL as a training tender.
HMAS WHYALLA, (Fremantle class patrol boat), was commissioned.
- July 2, 1982
805 Squadron, flying Skyhawks, and 816 squadron, flying S2 Trackers, decommissioned at NAS Nowra
- June 30, 1982
HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier),paid off at Sydney for disposal. The ship was initially sold in June 1984 to an Australian company for A$1.7 million, however the sale fell through. In February 1985 the former Flagship was sold to the China United Shipbuilding Co Ltd for A$1.4 million to be broken up for scrap metal in the port of Dalian, China
- June 4, 1982
HMAS STUART, (destroyer escort), was damaged in a fire at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC.
- April 26, 1982
RAN personnel joined the Multi-National Force and Observers, (MFO), operating on the Sinai Peninsula, to enforce the separation of Egyptian and Israeli forces. The RAN provided Iroquious helicopters, (which had been transported to the Middle East by HMAS TOBRUK), to patrol the peninsula. The RAN presence ceased in 1986, but a small Army detachment remained.
- April 21, 1982
VADM D. W. Leach, AC, CBE, LVO, RAN, is appointed Chief of Naval Staff. He had joined the RAN College in 1942 as a Cadet Midshipman, and was the last CNS to have seen service in World War II.
- March 29, 1982
HMAS CANBERRA, (guided missile frigate), and P&O’s cruise liner, CANBERRA, rendezvoused off San Diego, USA.
- March 16, 1982
RADM M. W. Hudson, RAN, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Her Majesty’s Fleet.
- March 6, 1982
The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS LAUNCESTON was commissioned.
- March 4, 1982
HMAS TOBRUK, (landing ship heavy), transported 10 Iroquios helicopters to the Middle East as part of a multi-national force of observers enforcing the cease-fire agreement between Egypt and Israel. RAN aircrew and maintainers operated the helicopters, which were based in El Gorah, in Northern Sinai. They were withdrawn in 1986.
- March 1, 1982
HMAS LAUNCESTON, (Fremantle Class Patrol Boat), was commissioned.
- February 25, 1982
The Australian Government announced it intended to purchase the aircraft carrier HMS INVINCIBLE as a replacement for HMAS MELBOURNE. The carrier was to be renamed HMAS AUSTRALIA. However, as a result of the Falklands War between Britain and Argentina the purchase was delayed. When negotiations were later recommenced the Government in Australia had changed and made a decision to cancel the purchase.
- February 8, 1982
Britain’s First Sea Lord, ADML Sir Henry Leach, made a four day official visit to Australia and conferred with cabinet on the possible purchase of HMS INVINCIBLE as a replacement for HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier).
- January 25, 1982
HMAS SYDNEY, (guided missile frigate), was severely damaged in a $4 million fire while fitting out at Seattle, USA.
- December 14, 1981
Cadet AB Kenneth Dax died onboard HMAS TOBRUK, (landing ship heavy), from a hydrogen-sulphide gas leak from the ships sewage tank.
- November 28, 1981
The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS WOLLONGONG, was commissioned. WOLLONGONG was decommissioned on 11 February 2006 after 24 years of service.
- September 20, 1981
CAPT Morton Moyes, OBE, RAN, the last survivor of Mawson’s Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914, died in Sydney. Moyes was the first Instructor Officer to be promoted to Captain in the RAN.
- September 4, 1981
HMAS Swan becomes the first RAN ship to visit China in 32 years, docking at Shanghai
- July 18, 1981
The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS TOWNSVILLE was commissioned.
- June 21, 1981
HMAS MELBOURNE and HMAS TORRENS rescued a group of 99 Vietnamese refugees from dilapidated vessels in the South China Sea.
- April 23, 1981
The landing ship heavy HMAS TOBRUK, was commissioned at Newcastle NSW.
- March 21, 1981
The FFG-7, (Adelaide), class guided missile frigate HMAS CANBERRA, (CMDR B. Wilson, RAN), was commissioned in Seattle, USA. CANBERRA was laid down in Todd Shipyard, Seattle, USA, and launched on 1 December 1978. Lady Tange, (Wife of the Secretary of the Department of Defence), performed the launching ceremony. CANBERRA was decommissioned on 12 November 2005.
- March 14, 1981
HMAS WARRNAMBOOL, (Fremantle class patrol boat), was commissioned.
- January 7, 1981
HMAS ADELAIDE, (guided missile frigate), ran aground off Puget Sound, USA and sustained serious underwater damage. In the subsequent court martial the Commanding Officer of ADELAIDE was found guilty of negligence and removed from command.
- November 28, 1980
The Defence Department invited tenders for the construction of two prototypes of an Australian designed mine hunter catamaran to replace the Ton class mine hunters.