On This Day

1976-1999 > Post Vietnam

November 28, 1981

The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS WOLLONGONG, was commissioned. WOLLONGONG was decommissioned on 11 February 2006 after 24 years of service.

October 15, 1981

HMAS Barricade was transferred to the Indonesian Navy after having spent her last 6 months in the RAN with the Fremantle Port Division.

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.

November 27, 1980

CDRE E. E. Johnson, OBE, RAN, was appointed Administrator of the Northern Territory. CDRE Johnson was honoured for his services in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy.

November 15, 1980

The guided missile frigate HMAS ADELAIDE, (CMDR G. R. Lamperd, RAN), was commissioned. ADELAIDE was laid down in Seattle, USA, and launched on 21 June 1978. Mrs Elizabeth Synnot, (Wife of the Chief of Naval Staff), performed the launching ceremony. ADELAIDE was the first of four ships of the Adelaide class purchased for the RAN.

October 28, 1980

HMAS COOK, (oceanographic ship), was commissioned at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, under CMDR I. Pullar, RAN.

October 25, 1980

HMAS WARRNAMBOOL, the second of fifteen Fremantle class patrol boats ordered for the RAN, was launched at Cairns, QLD.

October 24, 1980

The Russian Ship, STOROZHEVOY, (guided missile frigate), shadowed HMA Ships MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), and PERTH, (guided missile destroyer), in the Indian Ocean. A Tracker SE2 aircraft from MELBOURNE also sighted the Soviet assault ship IVAN ROGOV in the area.

October 21, 1980

HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), lost her second Skyhawk fighter-bomber on her deployment in the Indian Ocean. The first was lost in the Andaman Sea on 2 October. Both pilots were recovered.

September 26, 1980

RADM D. W. Leach, Chief of Naval Personnel, announced that it took:- 4 years and cost $6,300, to train a Leading Seaman Quarter Master Gunner; 6 years and $60,000 a Petty Officer Electrical Technical Systems; 12 years and $200,000 a Commanding Officer of a submarine; 6 years and $400,000 a helicopter pilot.

September 8, 1980

An Australian Squadron, consisting of HMA Ships MELBOURNE, PERTH, DERWENT, STALWART, and SUPPLY, and HMAS OTAMA, (Oberon class submarine), was deployed in the Indian Ocean on an extended flag-showing cruise

August 27, 1980

HMAS FREMANTLE, the first of 14 Fremantle class patrol boats ordered for the RAN, arrived in Sydney at the end of her 14,509 mile maiden voyage.

August 9, 1980

The keel of HMAS SUCCESS, a 17,000 ton replenishment vessel for the RAN, was laid by the Minister for Defence, Mr. D. J. Killen, at Cockatoo Island Sydney.

July 30, 1980

The destroyer escort HMAS YARRA, (CMDR P. A. Knife, RAN), represented Australia at the New Hebrides Independence Celebrations at Vila.

July 23, 1980

HMAS ARDENT, (patrol boat), apprehended two Indonesian luggers poaching in Australian fishing waters north-west of Derby, WA.

July 20, 1980

HMAS Adroit hosted a reception for NOCNA, Captain R McKenzie, ADC, RAN, and nine guests including Rear Admiral Shapiro, USN; and Miss Australia 1980, Miss Eleanor Moreton. The guests were treated to a two hour sight-seeing voyage around Darwin Harbour before returning alongside

July 8, 1980

The Minister for Defence, Mr. D. J. Killen, announced that the Government had approved a feasibility study of the building of submarines at Vickers Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney.