On This Day

On This Day - 21 February

1917

HM Submarine J7, later HMA Submarine J7, was launched at Devonport, England.

1930

The annual cost of training the 45 Cadet Midshipmen at the RAN College was £60,000.

1945

HMAS NAPIER, serving with the 7th Destroyer Flotilla, bombarded Japanese positions on the Burma coast in support of Allied land advances.

1968

During Operation Clayton, helicopter gun-ships of the RAN Helicopter Flight supported the 1st Australian Task Force in a search-and-screen operation at the village of Long Dien, Vietnam. More than 5337 people were screened in a search for Viet Cong sympathisers. This was one of the first Australian Army-RAN combined operations in the war.

1988

HMAS JERVIS BAY, (training ship), rescued 12 Korean fishermen from a raft in the Cook Strait, (New Zealand).Their vessel, the DONG CHANG, with a crew of 15, sank in heavy seas after it's engine had failed. A search for the remaining three crewmen over the next 24 hours was unsuccessful.

1992

HMAS NEWCASTLE, the final ship in Amecon's contract to build two guided missile frigates for the RAN, was launched at Williamstown, VIC. The ship was delivered five months ahead of schedule. Four others were built in the USA.