On This Day
1946-1959 > Post WW2
On This Day - 1946-1959
- October 12, 1950
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), operating with the American Task Force, bombarded the North Korean industrial city of Chengjin, 55 km from the Manchurian border.
- September 27, 1950
HMAS Bataan in company with HMCS Athabaskan assumed responsibility for blockading the Kunsan area. On the same day, both ships carried out an intensive bombardment of Youjiko To Island where Marines had been repulsed with losses the previous afternoon
- September 15, 1950
HMA Ships BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), operated with the bombardment fleet off Wonsan, Korea.
- August 24, 1950
The frigate HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (CMDR I. H. McDonald), joined the Commonwealth Fleet blockading the coast of Korea.
- August 1, 1950
HMAS Australia (II) was engaged in a mercy mission to the Australian Antarctic base at Heard Island where a member of the staff, Dr Serge Udovikoff, was ill. Apart from the uncomfortable conditions created by gale force winds that gusted up to 65 knots, sleet, snow and hail, the ship experienced feed water difficulties due to the increased prevalence of plankton in the sea. Use of ship’s water was restricted to drinking and teeth cleaning and no one was allowed to wash. Weather conditions were no better when Australia (II) arrived at Heard Island, but when a reasonable break occurred the cutter was lowered and Dr Udovikoff eventually brought on board for the journey to Fremantle.
- July 27, 1950
The cruiser HMAS AUSTRALIA, (CAPT G. Oldham), sailed from Melbourne carrying two medical officers and supplies for the Australian Antarctic Expedition on Heard Island.
- July 21, 1950
HMAS Bataan completed her first operational patrol of the Korean War, during which she conducted escort duties in the Korean Strait and for the amphibious landing at Pohang Dong.
- July 18, 1950
HMAS BATAAN, (Battle class destroyer), bombarded Pohang, Korea, as a unit of Task Group 96.5.
- July 2, 1950
UN operations in Korea commenced. HMA Ships ANZAC, ARUNTA, BATAAN, CONDAMINE, CULGOA, MURCHISON, SHOALHAVEN, SYDNEY, TOBRUK, and WARRAMUNGA, operated with the Commonwealth Task Force.
- June 29, 1950
The Australian Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, announced that HMA Ships BATAAN, (destroyer), and SHOALHAVEN, (frigate), operating in far eastern waters, had been placed at the disposal of the UN for action in Korea.