Between 1965 and 1972, elements of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) served in the Vietnam War, conducting tasks at sea, ashore, and in the air. The RAN’s primary contribution consisted of destroyers, Fleet Air Arm personnel, a Clearance Diving Team, and a logistic support force consisting of transport and escort ships. Other RAN personnel served ashore in medical teams or performed staff duties at the Australian Embassy in Saigon or the Australian Task Force Headquarters in Nui Dat. The RAN Fleet Band also completed a short tour of Vietnam.
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.
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