HMAS Hobart (II) on the ‘gun line’ during the first deployment to Vietnam under the command of Captain GR Griffiths DSC RAN.
The largest single commitment by the Royal Australian Navy to Vietnam was the provision of a destroyer on a rotational basis to the United States Navy’s Seventh Fleet for service on what became known as the “gunline”. These RAN destroyers provided naval gunfire support from March 1967 to September 1971, and interdicted enemy supply routes and logistic craft.
The Vietnam War was not a markedly naval conflict, but for the 13,500 members of the RAN who saw active service it was a high tempo environment. The RAN’s contribution was diverse and represented a significant part in the overall commitment of Australian forces.
During the Vietnam War, the RAN contributed a diverse range of capabilities, including destroyer support on the gunline, troop and cargo transport, clearance diving, helicopter operations with the US Army, and medical support. These high-tempo deployments built a legacy carried into later conflicts like Gulf War II.