Leading Air Crewman Noel Ervin Shipp
Noel Ervin Shipp was born in Brisbane, Queensland on 24 December 1944 and joined the RAN on 10 January 1963. Following his recruit training he was posted to HMAS Watson where he was to qualify as an underwater control rating. Several shore postings followed that saw him serve variously at HMAS Harman and HMAS Penguin.
Sea postings soon followed in HMA Ships Yarra, Gascoyne and Anzac during which time he was promoted Able Seaman. In 1967 Noel volunteered to become an aircrewman and was promoted Provisional Acting Leading Aircrewman on 12 July that year. He was confirmed in the rank of Leading Aircrewman on 12 July 1968.
As a member of the Aircrew Category Noel served chiefly at HMAS Albatross, Naval Air Station Nowra, the home of the RAN Fleet Air Arm.
Shipp's recruit school class of 1963. Noel may be seen in the back row, second from left.
In 1968 Noel Shipp was posted as a member of the 2nd Contingent to the RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam (RANHFV). The RANHFV was integrated with the US Army 135th Assault Helicopter Company, flying Iroquois helicopters in utility and gunship configurations.
Shipp soon found himself flying as a helicopter door-gunner with the “Taipans”, the 135th’s gunship platoon. In this role he flew numerous missions providing suppression fire for troop-lift helicopters and he also participated in frequent ground assaults on enemy positions and troop concentrations.
By November 1968 Shipp had flown many missions as a door gunner. In January 1969 he was presented with a US Air Medal with 'V' for Valor clasp, by Lieutenant Colonel Wallace Baker, US Army, 222 Combat Aviation Battalion at Camp Bear Cat, South Vietnam.
Noel Shipp (at right) re-arming his gunship with other members of the aircraft's crew, all of whom perished when it was shot down on 31 August 1968. (Image Courtesy: Able Seaman RH Ralph)
On 31 May 1969, aircraft of the 135th were extracting elements of the 7th Infantry Division (Army Republic of Vietnam) from a pick-up zone in Dinh Tuong Province when they came under intense fire from automatic weapons. Three aircraft were damaged and one pilot was injured, necessitating his immediate medical evacuation.
The aircraft in which Shipp was flying immediately proceeded to the pick-up zone and began making rocket attack runs on the enemy position. With complete disregard for his own safety, Shipp hung outside his aircraft, exposing himself to rocket back blast and intense enemy fire to bring more effective fire to bear on the target. At this point of the action Shipp’s pilot was hit by enemy fire and the gunship rapidly lost altitude before crashing and exploding in the jungle below. All four crew members perished.
During the entire run, up until the moment of impact, Shipp was seen delivering devastating fire into the enemy positions.
RANHFV pilot and friend of Shipp, Commander Max Speedy, DSC, RAN, (Ret’d) was to reflect:
Noel could not have known what was in store for him on that fateful day. He certainly would have had no thoughts of perishing in the crash that killed all four of the gunship's crew. He continued to fire as any hope to minimise injury to himself diminished and he continued to fire to save those who were left in his crew. The actions of Noel and his crew's probably saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers on the ground at the time.
Noel Shipp displayed the virtues that are corner-stones of the Navy today - Honour, Honesty, Integrity, Loyalty and most of all Courage.
On 18 September 2012 an RAN Recruit School Division was named in Noel Shipp’s honour.
The crew of Shipp's 'Taipan' Gunship pose with Warrant Officer 2 Bob Enders, US Army (centre) who was to witness the helicopter's last desperate moments. L-R: WO1 Steve Martin US Army (Co-pilot), Captain Mike Phillips (Aircraft Captain), WO Enders, Leading Aircrewman Noel Shipp and Specialist 4 Byron Bowden, US Army.
Image: Informal portrait by Ian Maxwell Speedy, March 1969
Australian War Memorial Collection
