After the lights fled seaward, the first friendly fire incident occurred shortly after midnight when the US Navy swift boat PCF-19 was sunk by three air-to-air missiles while patrolling some kilometres south of the DMZ. Now any of you who know anything about the Vietnam war know that the North Vietnamese did not have any helicopters especially after our first couple of air raids into North Vietnam [during 1965]. The events of that night have doubtless raised much discussion it was the RANs costliest day of the entire war and Australian navy history books mention unusual atmospheric conditions over the DMZ, insect swarms or bird flocks as possible sources of the sightings, but were they unidentified flying objects? In later years he rose to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington. 3 Tours: 7 Mar 1967 27 Sep 1967, 22 Mar 1968 -11 Oct 1968, 6 Mar 1970 -17 Oct 1970. Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum. Two steam turbines provided 70,000 shp, which drove the ship at 33 knots. HMAS Hobart (D 39) was a Perth class guided missile destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Hobart fired five rounds from a deck gun, but the swept-winged attacker escaped. Part 2 of 2. In 1973, he fronted a Chicago media conference held to discuss the North American UFO flap of that year, and while airing his views on UFOs at the conference he said: Vietnam, 1962-1975; Units. go to da moon copy and paste. Chandler sent a party on the German vessel that controlled the flooding and salvaged the ship. North Vietnam, South Vietnam and the United States all issued awards and decorations during the conflict. [76] The ship was docked for refit for most of 1996, with post-refit trials extending into 1997. HMAS HOBART, (guided missile destroyer), acted as bait to draw the fire of North Vietnamese batteries near Cap Lay, Vietnam. Non-wooden hull, with screw and rudder protection against groundings. [7] On 14 December 1966, the Australian Cabinet approved the deployment of Hobart as part of increases to Australian military commitment to the conflict. The lights turned seaward and came under fire from various ships in the area. All visitors require a free timed ticket to enter the Memorial Galleries and attend the Last Post Ceremony. Conflicts. The evidence is very intriguing, and to find out why lets go to the beginning. Biblioteca personale Taken from HMAS Hobart (D39). Sydney Morning Herald 19 June, 1968, p. 1 and Australian 19 June, 1968, p.1, 3. In his article The sinking of PCF-19 as seen from PCF-12, he states the PCF-12 met the ill-fated PCF-19 at sea that night to fix the PCF-19s radar. All the radios were crackling constantly as friendlies were checked out. She served as part of the US 7th Fleet till September 1967. . We pay our respects to elders past and present. A. Callaway, RAN Lieutenant Commander D. W. Daish, RAN Lieutenant This is a list of destroyers of the United States Navy, sorted by hull number. DoDMedia photo DN-SC-92-02627. Hyder. Hobart was primarily designed for air warfare (with a Tartar SAM system) but also carried a 5" gun and various anti-submarine equipment. Many Ufologists believe alien visitors have long been studying human wars; and this may have been the case in 1968. Royal Australian Navy News, 16 August, 1968, 4. [1] During construction, the ship was assigned the United States Navy hull number DDG-26. 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. 8. In March 1967, Hobart became the first RAN combat ship deployed to fight in the Vietnam War. Five of the seven crew died (more about this later). 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 was one of three guided missile destroyers built in the United States for the RAN. Email: jonrwyatt@hotmail.com, Yes we need your help to keep this going. This force was then replaced by a two- and later three-battalion task force with supporting arms based at Nui Dat which operated primarily in Phuoc Tuy Province between 196671, with logistic Cerca nel pi grande indice di testi integrali mai esistito. After daybreak, US helicopters airlifted the wounded Australian sailors to Danang and the damaged Hobart went to Subic Bay, Philippines, for repairs and was off the scene for five weeks and that night DMZ lights returned. Thank You FF-1062 Crew Roster . Hobart also landed a quick-firing 3-pounder Hotchkiss gun for service with the Army as an anti-tank gun. Oil and other contaminants were removed. Sydney Morning Herald 19 June, 1968, p. 1 and Australian 19 June, 1968, p.1 Acting Sub-Lieutenant T. E. Lewis, RAN Acting Sub-Lieutenant G. Lloyd, RAN Acting Sub-Lietiteuant J. L. Raleigh, RAN . [1] The cost of the destroyer was approximately A$45 million, including the initial load of supplies and ammunition. 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. Then, I watched as tracers began to come toward us as this helo opened fire. Built in the United States to a modified version of the Charles F. Adams design, Perth entered service with the RAN in 1965.. Deployments of HMAS Perth in Vietnam. [4] The destroyer underwent refit in 1984. 10. The answer from the beach was no friendly aircraft in the area, have contacts near you on radar and starlight scope. Rockingham Naval Memorial Park, Commemorative plaque for HMAS Hobart (D 39) (Vietnam War), March 2020.jpg 4.469 3.348; 7,93 MB Rockingham Naval Memorial Park, Commemorative plaque for HMAS Hobart (D 39), March 2020.jpg 4.608 3.456; 5,22 MB The Royal Australian Navys role in the Vietnam War is sometimes overlooked by comparison with the Armys larger numerical involvement. R57925 - ALLEN, Bernard George. of and in " a to was is ) ( for as on by he with 's that at from his it an were are which this also be has or : had first one their its new after but who not they have Thanks to Sea Power Centre Australia. HMAS Hobart for Vietnam HMAS Hobart for Vietnam. Chief Petty Officers. [59] On 22 August, the destroyer fired to support the 1st Australian Task Force in Phuoc Tuy Province: the first time a RAN destroyer provided naval gunfire support for Australian soldiers in the war. The order of battle of Australian forces during the Vietnam War consisted of a small group of military advisors from 1962, but grew to include an infantry battalion based in Bien Hoa in 1965. In 1973, he fronted a Chicago media conference held to discuss the North American UFO flap of that year, and while airing his views on UFOs at the conference he said: I dont know whether this story has ever been told or not [but UFOs plagued us in Vietnam]. "The following morning [21 October] at 06:05 HMAS Australia (II) was hit by a Japanese suicide aircraft. [1] Based on the United States Navy's Charles F. Adams class, Hobart had a displacement of 3,370 tons at standard load, and 4,618 tons at full load, a length of 440feet 3inches (134.19m) overall and 420 feet (130m) between perpendiculars, a beam of 47feet 1inch (14.35m), and a maximum draught of 15feet 3inches (4.65m). It was the sixth time since last Saturday that such sightings have been reported US command has ordered its fighter-bombers and artillery to withhold fire not wanting a repeat of the incidents in which the Allied ships were fired upon.. If the lights were North Vietnamese observer helicopters? citrus county sheriff jobs near hamburg; hmas hobart vietnam 1968 crew list. As PCF-12 searched in vain for more survivors, she found she had company. Hobart was the second ship of the class and was constructed by the Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan, USA. Naval Base Subic Bay to join the Seventh Fleet. Jim Steffes story of course raise many fascinating questions including: Did the PCF-12 crew fall victim to cultural tracking: aliens using their advanced technology to mimick our technology to interface with humans? andrew smith obituary 2021 . The records are dated during the 1960s and 1970s and include individuals who served in all branches of the military during this time frame. Hobart was one of three Perth-class guided missile destroyers built for the RAN. +40 (724) 307.599 Lu - Vi: 9:00 - 18:00; hmas hobart vietnam 1968 crew list Navy ships: ledgers and tenders. HMAS HOBART Second Deployment March 22, 1968 - October 11, 1968 Commanding Officer Captain K. W. Shands RAN Executive Officer Commander I. Commissioning the HMAS Hobart and service aboard HMAS Hobart in the Vietnam War. [37] On 14 September, Hobart arrived in Subic, handed over responsibility to HMASPerth, and sailed for home. [50] After being relieved, Hobart sailed for Subic Bay, where the damage was inspected by RAN and USN personnel, including three admirals. That night, the forward spotters along the eastern DMZ again reported the enemy helicopters had re-appeared, and the Allied forces sprang into action. Hobart was laid down by the Defoe Shipbuilding Company at Bay City, Michigan on 26 October 1962. Robert Hurst: 78k: HMAS Perth (D-38) alongwith HMAS Jervis Bay (GT-203) underway as part of an Australian/U.S. Then, when he reached the flag deck and entered the Signalmans Shelter, he sensed someone in there with me and could hear them breathing as though they had been running or working hard. F-4 s from Da Nang Air Base. George Filer Keeps Watching The Skies by Michael Vitez, Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 August, 2001, found at www.rense.com During this voyage, the ship visited nineteen ports in twelve countries, and represented Australia at the fleet review off New York City commemorating the United States Bicentennial. Online Shop Use this login for Shop items, and image, film, sound reproductions I was on the USS Shelton DD790. Self-sufficient for 400 to 500 mile (600 to 800 km) patrol. [25] On 3 April, the forward 5-inch gun mount became unserviceable, a state which remained for four-and-a-half-days. 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. How did this happen? June 1968 Vietnam. Seaman Branch. Wilson. Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum. Although the aircraft was evaluated as friendly it continued to close and fired a missile that struck Hobart amidships on her starboard side. [30] Over the next week, Hobart and USSAllen M. Sumner cooperated on the interdiction of coastal shipping during a period of heavy activity; previous successes saw the North Vietnamese begin to increase retaliation with coastal artillery in an attempt to dissuade American operations. Whatever the lights actually were remains a subject of conjecture, but it appears they were sighted for some weeks and went unchallenged. 26 Mar 1968. Apr 21, 2018. HMAS Perth (D 38) was the lead ship of the Perth-class guided missile destroyers operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Speed of 20 to 25 knots (37 to 46 km/h) Small high-resolution radar range 4 to 6 miles (7 to 11 km) With thanks to the RAN. [1] This was supplemented by two 5"/54 caliber Mark 42 guns and two Mark 32 triple torpedo tube sets. Modified LEANDER-Class cruiser ordered from HM Dockyard Devonport on 1st March 1933 and laid down on 15 August that year for the Royal Navy. Although the aircraft was evaluated as friendly it continued to close and fired a missile that struck Hobart amidships on her starboard side. 1st Deployment: 14th September 1976 31st March 1968. 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. Even if they had, they would not have been so foolish as to bring them over the DMZ, because that would have ensured their demise.. 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. HMAS Perth at Sea ( navy.gov.au) The HMAS Perth II was an Australian Guided Missile Destroyer with a thirty-four-year service life from 1965 to 1999. Story by Jon Wyatt 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 In late October 1970, Vendetta (II) again escorted HMAS Sydney (III) to Vung Tau, South Vietnam. [69] On 22 September, Hobart sailed to Subic. All furniture and equipment obstructing access or not secured was removed. In 1968, HMAS Hobart was struck by missiles launched by USAF Phantoms. [21] Arrangements were made to provide logistic support through the United States Pacific Fleet. Officially, the Hobart 'Incident' occurred during a night operation against 'enemy helicopters' - but was it in reality a UFO story? Hobart history. [67] The ship returned to the gunline on 9 July, and operated until 29 August, when she sailed to Singapore for maintenance, then Bangkok for naval exercises. 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 could achieve speeds of 35 knots (65km/h; 40mph). 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. [4] While in her namesake city, Hobart was visited by Charles, Prince of Wales; the first time the royal had boarded an Australian warship. [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. The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries. Eventually, the Phantom pilots involved in the operation that night and early morning, were recalled and grounded. 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. [2] The ship's company consisted of 20 officers and 312 sailors. HMAS Sydney (R17/A214/P214/L134) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Ship's Comapny. [40] On 11 June, the destroyer returned to the Sea Dragon area of operations, joining USSTheodore E. The late 1960s were the peak periods of the Vietnam War for the Australian Navy and HMAS Hobart was sent there in April 1967. However the mystery of 1968 DMZ 'lights' marched on, and the following is from another American patrol boat crew member. [60] On 29 September, Perth relieved Hobart at Subic, and Hobart sailed for home. Australian ambassador to the United Nations, Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War, Australian military commitment to the conflict, Non-U.S. recipients of U.S. gallantry awards, "Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours", "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours", "Disaster Relief Cyclone Tracy and Tasman Bridge", "Australasian Underwater Cultural Heritage Database: View Shipwreck - Hobart", Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, "AWD, Hobart, MFU or DDGH What's in a name? Share this page. Main Sources: As he and the crew peered into the darkness, the moon sometimes behind clouds, we spotted two aircraft hovering on our port and starboard beams. [68] Returning on 13 September, Hobart was called to relieve USSLloyd Thomas on the gunline after an explosion in one of the American destroyer's gun mounts. It was while there that I discovered that there was a tremendous amount of UFO and alien activity in Vietnam. [42] Early in the month, problems with the 5-inch/54 guns aboard Hobart and several US destroyers appeared; Hobart's captain decided to only fire the guns in emergencies until the problem was clearly identified. new eczema treatment 2022 australia . Picture taken of Butterworth closed up at his action station sometime prior to missile attack on Hobart. [66] Hobart resumed gunline operations on 6 June; these continued until 28 June, when she sailed to Subic for rebarrelling. by Ian Callaway and David Holthouse. 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. 2nd Deployment: 30th September 1968 30th March 1969. [4] On 15 October, Hobart departed from Sydney with HMASSupply for a five-week tour of Australian and New Zealand ports. The missile penetrated the aluminum hull and exploded killing Ordinary Seaman R J Butterworth and wounding two others. [70] Two personnel were mentioned in despatches, and 23 Naval Board commendations were issued for the deployment. In March 1967, Hobart became the first RAN combat ship deployed to fight in the Vietnam War. [49] The aircraft came around for a third attack run, but was scared off when Hobart's forward gun turret, under independent control, fired five rounds at the aircraft. 5 x 21 inch torpedo tubes (quintuple mount) (removed in late 1960) Li-mbo triple barrelled anti-submarine mortar. [29] Hobart was attached to the carrier escort group for USSKitty Hawk on 23 April. PERTH handing over to HOBART in Subic Bay. CG-47 Ticonderoga and CG-48 Yorktown were approved as destroyers (DDG-47 and DDG-48) and redesignated cruisers before being laid down; it is uncertain whether CG-49 Vincennes and CG-50 Valley Forge were ever authorized as destroyers by the Operation Sea Dragon (1966-1968) was the naval gunfire support provided by the surface units of Task Force 70.8 to ground commanders in South Vietnam and against land and sea targets in North Vietnam. [23], On 15 March 1967, Hobart arrived at U.S. HMAS Hobart. She departed Kaohsinug on 16 December and relieved Hamner (DD-718) in the northern "Sea Dragon" area on 19 December 1967. A song by a band called "Redgum" from the 80's that became the unofficial national anthem to all service personnel, especially Vietnam vets. HMAS Hobart (I) under aerial attack during the evacuation of Berbera. While the crew was rushing to Action Stations, two more air-to-air missiles penetrated the starboard side and killed Chief Electrician Hunt and wounded several others and narrowly missed a magazine. 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. A Signalman, who served on the ship during the 1990s, says that one morning at 4am when the warship was approaching Hobart, Tas., he was climbing a flex ladder to the flag deck when he felt the ladder move below him, then felt something actually walk past/through me on the ladder. This boat was sunk by friendly fire before the Boston and HMAS Hobart were hit. Jim Steffes Vietnam Photo Album website found at http://www.bcres.com/river/steffes.htm, 12. Amid the confusion, the Australian destroyer HMAS Hobart sat ready to engage the enemy. [22] By 04:45 the next morning, the Australian ship had already fired 100 rounds. Navy in Vietnam: A record of the Royal Australian Navy in the Vietnam War 1965-1973 by Denis Fairfax (Australian Government Publishing Service 1980) pps.59-60 Conflicts. 16 March 1968 at FB Birmingham Marine F-4s dropped bombs on the base killing 16 and wounding 48 men of the 101st Airborne. [34] On 10 July, the destroyer left the operational area and sailed to Subic via Hong Kong, and underwent self-maintenance. [48] There was also major damage around the destroyer's Ikara magazine, but as Hobart was not carrying any Ikara missiles at the time, the potential magazine fire did not occur. HMAS Hobart was a modified Leander -class light cruiser which served in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during World War II. A week after the Hobart incident the Melbourne Sun noted: sightings were reported by radarmen in Quang Tri Province about five miles [eight kms] below the border zone. MajestyTwelve by William Cooper, 1997, found at: http://williamcooper.com HMAS Hobart (DDG 39), lead HMAS Hobart was the first Australian destroyer deployed. This is the "famous" picture of Perth under fire taken by a sailor on board USS Newport News at 0800 on 18th October 1967. Hobart was decommissioned in 2000, and sunk as a dive wreck off South Australia. HMAS 'Hobart' was one of several Australian destroyers that operated on the gunline in the South China Sea with the US 7th Fleet. The Perth was the lead ship in her class, the Perth-class also consisting of the Video of 2021 Reunion in San Antonio, Texas. Clearance Diving Team 3. Left-profile portrait of a crew member on HMAS 'Hobart', off the North Vietnam coast. hmas hobart vietnam 1968 crew list . Following her commissioning at Boston, Massachusetts, Perth (II) spent eight months in American waters conducting trials and exercises. If you have Hobart/Perth related merchandise you would like to have seen by Hobart/Perth people, post at the below site, where I allow it , if it's suitably related and a complain is not received.. . This marked HMAS Hobart (III) is the first of three ships of the Hobart Class guided missile destroyers.Her sister ships are HMAS Brisbane (III) and HMAS Sydney (V). Note: Number in brackets refers to the year when the vessel was lost or deliberately sunk. HMAS HOBART HIT DURING VIETNAM UFO ENCOUNTER? In March 1967, Hobart became the first RAN combat ship deployed to fight in the Vietnam War. [47] The missiles hit simultaneously: one penetrated the superstructure and damaged the gunners' store, engineers workshop and aft seamans' mess, while the other hit close to the original missile, causing further damage to the mess and missile control room, while also damaging the Tartar checkout room, killing another sailor and wounded six others. The Boston was re-gunned twice (in May and July) during the 1968 deployment to Vietnam. It is June 15/16th, 1968, around midnight, and now five sailors are dead or missing. Cooper later recanted his belief in an alien presence and instead insisted UFOs are technology originally developed by the Germans in their secret weapons programs during WW-II, by geniuses like Nikola Tesla and many others. After the sightings, Allied Command, fearing another Tet Offensive-style build-up, rushed more anti-aircraft guns to the border, and placed Phantom fighter-bombers at Danang Air Base on standby, and it also asked available Allied warships to patrol the DMZ coast. [43] The destroyer USSEdson joined Hobart and Chandler to make up for the lack of firepower. That duty continued for almost a month until 16 January 1968, when she moved close to the shores of the First and Second Corps Zones of South Vietnam to provide naval gunfire support for the 5th Marines until early February. [52], The attacks on Hobart and the other ships were the capstone of a series of firing incidents between 15 and 17 June, and an inquiry was held by the USN into the incidents, with three RAN personnel attending as technical advisors. Guy GRIFFITHS R.A.N. [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. [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. [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. A Swift Boat is sunk by two rockets from an unidentified aircraft near the border between North and South Vietnam. 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. [1] The ship was launched on 9 January 1964 by the wife of David Hay, the Australian ambassador to the United Nations. Steffes says he saw one helo in the moonlight and believed It had a rounded front like an observation helo and it looked like two crewman sitting side by side.
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