On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. For her commendable service with the US Seventh Fleet HMAS Perth was awarded on two occasions the US Navy Unit Commendation. Built in the United States of America to a slight variant of the United States Navy (USN) Charles F. Adams class, she was commissioned into the RAN in 1965. [1] Hobart was awarded the United States Navy Unit Commendation for this tour of duty. 1968-Launch Date: 12 APR 1968: AUG: 1970-Commissioned: 22 AUG 1970: JAN: 1972-AUG: 1972: West Pac-Viet Nam: JAN: 1972-AUG: a Navy Day "open house," and host-ship duties to Australian destroyer HMAS Hobart occupied Whipple through 25 October, after which time she conducted further trials and gunnery shoots. On 16 April, the destroyer was assigned to TU 77.1.1 for Operation "Sea Dragon," offensive surface operations against waterborne logistic craft and coastal defense sites in North Vietnam. Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia. Jon Wyatt is a Melbourne freelance writer and editor. The warship was relieved on 30 April and returned to Subic Bay for upkeep. Conflicts. And in the course of this, an Australian destroyer [Hobart] took a hit there was no enemy at all involved but we always reacted. Agent Orange. Commanding-Officers-Vendetta-1958-79. [32], After delays caused by monsoonal conditions, the ship returned to the gunline on 18 June. At about 3.30am, the Hobart was patrolling (blacked-out and maintaining radio silence) near Tiger Island, about 20kms off Cap Lay, when her radar room detected a fast, incoming aircraft. The late 1960s were the peak periods of the Vietnam War for the Australian Navy and HMAS Hobart was sent there in April 1967. The USS Warrington was damaged beyond repair by a friendly mine in 1972. Copyright 1997 - 2021 All rights reserved. by Ian Callaway and David Holthouse. The warhead passed through the main deck, seriously damaging several compartments, while the The ship, based on the lvaro de Bazn-class frigate designed by Navantia, was built at ASC's shipyard in Osborne, South Australia from modules fabricated by ASC, BAE Systems Australia in Victoria, and Forgacs Group 1st Deployment: 14th September 1976 31st March 1968. The keel of Hobart was laid down on 6 September 2012 and the ship was launched on 23 May 2015. HMAS Hobart was one of three Perth lass DDG guided missile armed destroyers purchased from the USA in the mid-1960s to better equip the RAN. All rights reserved. hmas hobart vietnam 1968 crew list. [4] During 1992, the destroyer participated in RIMPAC. [50] Debris collected from Hobart and the other ships indicated that the missiles were of United States Air Force (USAF) origin. by | Jun 5, 2022 | curtain suppliers in dubai | riverside cafe medicine park, ok menu | Jun 5, 2022 | curtain suppliers in dubai | riverside cafe medicine park, ok menu [4] On 15 October, Hobart departed from Sydney with HMASSupply for a five-week tour of Australian and New Zealand ports. L-R: Billy Stokes, Ray Quill, Geoff Brown and David Watts. HMAS Hobart was one of three guided missile destroyers built in the United States for the RAN. In March 1967, one month after the announcement of the deployment of the Clearance Diving Team to Vietnam, the (then) Minister for the Navy, Mr Don Chipp, announced that the RAN's newly commissioned guided missile destroyer HMAS HOBART would be deployed to join the US Seventh Fleet to support operations off the coast of Vietnam. 18 March 1968, around 10 Marines were killed by MACV-SOG operators mistaking them for enemy forces, when such operators were trying to ambush the supposed enemies. Photographed by PH3 D.R. [7] On 14 December 1966, the Australian Cabinet approved the deployment of Hobart as part of increases to Australian military commitment to the conflict. R57925 - ALLEN, Bernard George. 2nd Deployment: 30th September 1968 30th March 1969. If you were a member of either ship at this time please contact the Nominal Rolls team, with your Service number and full name, at nominal.rolls@dva.gov.au or telephone 1300 780 133 (local call charge). On Friday, 15 June 1968, Allied forward spotters along the eastern part of the Demilitarised Zone, a 9.6km wide strip separating North and South Vietnam, reported seeing about 30 strange slow-moving lights in the night sky. They werent called UFOs they were called enemy helicopters, and they were only seen at night and they were only seen in certain places. RAN destroyer HMAS Hobart in 1968 with an unidentified ship of the US 7th Fleet off the coast of Vietnam. destroyer parted company with the carrier shortly after midnight on 30 July 1967 in response to orders to return with HMAS Hobart to Sea Dragon duty off Vietnam. Gunfire missions ended north of the DMZ with the suspension of Operation Rolling Thunder on 31 Oct 1968, but continued in South Vietnam for the rest of war. Answer (1 of 10): Most certainly. The warhead passed through the main deck, seriously damaging several compartments, while the body of the missile . [60] On 29 September, Perth relieved Hobart at Subic, and Hobart sailed for home. Vendetta was relieved by HMAS Hobart (II) at Subic Bay in late March 1970. hmas hobart hit during vietnam ufo encounter? [45] At 03:14, the aircraft fired a single missile at the ship, which killed one sailor, wounded two others and damaged the chief petty officer's mess, air search radar and missile control compartments and the ship's funnels. The wreck site is officially known as the Fleurieu Artificial Reef. The Signalman later learnt from the Chief Coxswain, a 15-year veteran, that a Leading Seaman Signalman had been killed while scaling the ladder to action stations in 1968: Apparently, the ship took a missile hit and a piece of shrapnel took this poor mans head clean off his shoulders. The Sinking of PCF-19 as seen from PCF-12 by Jim Steffes, ENC, USN Retired, found at www.gunplot.net/vietnam/hobartvietnamandpcf19.html [4] In June 1974, the destroyer was involved in the Exercise Kangaroo One. The guns were from the nose of the helo. Copyright 2013 -Satya Search - All Rights Reserved. HMAS Hobart was a modified Leander -class light cruiser which served in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during World War II. In 1968, it was realised that the combination of maintenance requirements and other operational deployments meant that none of the RAN's three US-built Perth-class destroyers would be available to serve in the Vietnam War once HMAS Brisbane completed her deployment in late 1969. Left: HMAS Hobart (II)s tactical operators and anti-aircraft control crews closed up at action stations on the upper deck. [76] She was given to the South Australian Government by the federal Department of Defence in August 2000. [4] In 1985, Hobart sailed to Canada to represent Australia at a naval review recognising the 75th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy's founding. The Perth was the lead ship in her class, the Perth-class also consisting of the Video of 2021 Reunion in San Antonio, Texas. And in the course of this, an Australian destroyer [Hobart] took a hit there was no enemy at all involved but we always reacted. Hyder. Part 2 of 2. As the boat swung around to put the aircraft ahead and astern of PCF-12, I could hear Mr. Snyder [the Officer In Charge] requesting air support and identification of these helos. I met Roger Matt Helm in 1968 who was on the HMAS Hobart. Also adding further to the mystery, no wreckage of downed enemy choppers was found. DoDMedia photo DN-SC-92-02627. hmas hobart vietnam 1968 crew list. We heard a crash of glass and a splash as one of the helos hit the water, the other helo broke contact and left the area., Steffes says for the next two and one half hours the PCF-12 played cat and mouse with one or more helos, opening fire whenever they moved in. [76] Hobart won the Gloucester Cup for 1995, a trophy awarded to the most efficient ship of the RAN during a calendar year; this was the eighth time the Cup was won by the destroyer. Summary: On Friday, 15 June 1968, Allied forward spotters along the eastern part of the Demilitarised Zone, a 9.6km wide strip separating North and South Vietnam, reported seeing about 30 strange slow-moving lights in the night sky. CE2 CE-II (Close Encounter II) Observation of an object in close proximity to the witness, where physical traces (impression, burn, medical effect, etc.) "The following morning [21 October] at 06:05 HMAS Australia (II) was hit by a Japanese suicide aircraft. [4], Hobart visited New Zealand in 1991 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Navy. [40] The ships were unsuccessfully shelled by coastal artillery on 22 and 23 April, then spent the next three days attempting to attract attention from shore batteries so they could be bombed by aircraft. [36] The ship returned to Sea Dragon operations on 31 July. HMAS HOBART HIT DURING VIETNAM UFO ENCOUNTER? Sydney Morning Herald 19 June, 1968, p. 1 and Australian 19 June, 1968, p.1, 3. [77], Prior to the scuttling, preparatory work was done to ensure safe diving and minimal environmental impact, based on international best practices and mostly undertaken at Port Adelaide by contracted labour and some volunteers. Reports of Proceedings (ROPs) are the official record of activities of the Royal Australian Navy's commands, vessels, shore establishments, administrative authorities and installations. In June 1968 Australia was dismayed by the news that the guided-missile destroyer HMAS Hobart had been badly damaged by friendly fire in Vietnam: Two crew died and seven were wounded during the USAF attack. HMAS Perth. [1][3] Over the course of the ship's career, the Mark 13 launcher was modified to fire Standard missiles, the Ikara launchers were stripped out in 1989 and two Phalanx CIWS units were installed in 1991.[1][4]. [61] One sailor was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal for his actions during the 17 June attack (the government received advice that as it was a friendly fire incident, a non-combat medal like the British Empire Medal should be awarded instead, but this was ignored), while two Mentions in Despatches and 23 Naval Board commendations were also issued. HMAS Vendetta was the only Australian-built warship to serve in Vietnam and was the first Australian Daring Class destroyer to see active service. [63] After working up, the destroyer relieved USSErnest G. Small from gunline duties on 6 April. The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. In later years he rose to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington. North Vietnam, South Vietnam and the United States all issued awards and decorations during the conflict. I am trying to track down a crew list during that period. Originally constructed for the Royal Navy as HMS Apollo, the ship entered service in 1936, and was sold to Australia two years later. On March 22, 1968, Hobart left Sydney for her second deployment to Vietnam with Captain K. W. Shands (below Left) in command. Media information. Jim Steffes Vietnam Photo Album website found at http://www.bcres.com/river/steffes.htm In August 1968 the Royal Australian Navy News confirmed: No physical evidence of helicopters destroyed has been discovered in the area of activity nor has extensive reconnaissance produced any evidence of enemy helicopter operations in or near the DMZ. [29] Hobart was attached to the carrier escort group for USSKitty Hawk on 23 April. Hobart in Vietnam: Follow-up letters . are left or (electrical effect, heat) are felt, AUFORN Special Report, Issue 34, April 2003. 11. That night, the forward spotters along the eastern DMZ again reported the enemy helicopters had re-appeared, and the Allied forces sprang into action. The best available source for crew details is the ships' ledgers. HMAS Hobart (1965-2000) Royal Australian Navy . Jim Steffes, ENC, USN Retired, served on the patrol boat PCF-12 on the night of the Hobart incident, and he confirms strange goings-on in the sky. HMAS Hobart (D 39), a Perth-class guided missile destroyer commissioned in 1965 and decommissioned in 2000. . 1. HMAS Perth (D 38) was the lead ship of the Perth-class guided missile destroyers operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). As for Vietnam and its history, I was totally ignorant. [44] At 03:09, Hobart's radar picked up an aircraft approaching with no IFF transponder active. Details of the subsequent aerial melee remain sketchy, but it is known several US 7th Air Force Phantom fighter-bombers soon arrived on the scene and began firing on the intruders; and were supported by anti-aircraft ground fire. Australia was involved in combat operations in Vietnam from 1962 - 1972 and contributed several types of aircraft in support of that effort. [46] Two minutes later, the aircraft made a second pass and fired two missiles. The Vietnam Attack on an Australasian Destroyer. Our collection contains a wealth of material to help you research and find your connection with the wartime experiences of the brave men and women who served in Australias military forces. Interview with Ken Shands, Anzac Day 1996, Melbourne In 1996 I interviewed the Hobarts skipper, the late Ken Shands, and he also said, Neither before nor after the incident was there any report by any of the ships of a helicopter being there [around Tiger Island]. In June 1968 Australia was dismayed by the news that the guided missile destroyer HMAS Hobart had been badly damaged by friendly fire in Vietnam: Two crew died and seven were wounded during the USAF attack. Royal Australian Navy News, 16 August, 1968 During the late 1990s when the Signalman was re-posted to the ship, he sent a young sailor up the ladder to test the waters, and the bloke also came down shaking. [71] Hobart received the battle honour "Vietnam 196770" for her wartime service, adding to the eight honours inherited from the previous ship of the name. 3. Accession Number: F10803: Collection type: Film: Measurement: 53 secs: Object type: Actuality footage: Physical description: 16mm/b&w/silent: Maker: RAN Public Relations: Date made: 16 This marked the start of consistent six-mo As well as serving in ships deployed to Vietnam naval personnel served in clearance diving teams, the Navy helicopter flight, in logistic support roles and in medical teams. HMAS 'Hobart' was one of several Australian destroyers that operated on the gunline in the South China Sea with the US 7th Fleet. [6] The idea of deploying a RAN combat ship was initially hampered by the number of ships available, particularly with commitments to the Far East Strategic Reserve and involvement in the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation, along with the difficulty of operating and maintaining British-designed ships with USN resources. If the lights were North Vietnamese observer helicopters? 26 Mar 1968. Chandler. During the 1968 tour, the destroyer was attacked by a United States Air Force aircraft. The Perth served alongside elements of the United States Seventh Fleet during the Vietnam War and received commendations for her service.. HMAS Hobart II (DDG-39) was a Charles F Adams class guided missile destroyer that displaced 4526 tons (full load) on a 133 x 14 x 4.6 metres (437 x 47 x 15 feet) hull. The Signalman later learnt from the Chief Coxswain, a 15-year veteran, that a Leading Seaman Signalman had been killed while scaling the ladder to action stations in 1968: Apparently, the ship took a missile hit and a piece of shrapnel took this poor mans head clean off his shoulders. Melbourne Sun 24 June, 1968, p.2 [76] Hobart spent most of 1999 either alongside in Sydney, or on exercises in Jervis Bay. This boat was sunk by friendly fire before the Boston and HMAS Hobart were hit. 5. Robert Hurst: 78k: HMAS Perth (D-38) alongwith HMAS Jervis Bay (GT-203) underway as part of an Australian/U.S. The scuttled ship is scheduled as a historic shipwreck as per the South Australian Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981 and has a protected zone of 550-metre (1,800ft) radius which prohibits boating activity unless the operator has a permit. Ledgers were completed quarterly for each ship, or shore establishment. The destroyer made three deployments to the Vietnam War, earning a RAN battle honour and two United States Navy commendations HMS Caprice 1968 Association Newsletter 046 August 2008 Have just surfed the net to your website due to a recent re-reading of an extract of the June 1968 Report of Proceedings (ROP) of HMAS HOBART. [1], As a guided missile destroyer, Hobart's main armament consisted of a Mark 13 missile launcher firing Tartar missiles and two Ikara anti-submarine missile launchers. On June 17, 1968, Aim7 Sparrow missiles struck a U.S. Navy heavy cruiser and Hobart a Royal Australian Navy guided-missile destroyer. Always after dark. This marked the start of consistent six-month deployments to the warzone, which continued until late 1971; Hobart was redeployed in 1969 and 1970. 77. It was always reported in official messages as enemy helicopters. R57014 - ANDERSON, Arthur Horace. [34] This was completed on 24 July, and Hobart sailed for the operational area. At the end of January, the PAVN and VC launched the Tet Offensive.. Hanoi erred monumentally in its certainty HMAS Hobart (D 39) was a Perth class guided missile destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The evidence is very intriguing, and to find out why lets go to the beginning. All furniture and equipment obstructing access or not secured was removed. HMAS Hobart (D 39) was a Perth-class guided missile destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Our guns opened up and I ran back to my position as the loader on the after gun. Splashes from shells fired from coastal batteries. [31] Apart from a brief stint on the gunline, Hobart remained assigned to Sea Dragon until 26 May, when sailed to Subic for maintenance, with both 5-inch gun barrels replaced.