On This Day
1976-1999 > Post Vietnam
On This Day - 1976-1999
- 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.