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