On This Day
1960-1975 > Vietnam era
On This Day - 1960-1975
- August 15, 1963
HMAS Warrego paid off, one week short of her 23rd birthday, having steamed 440,978 miles since commissioning on 22 August 1940. In the post war period Warrego made a significant contribution to the survey of Australian waters, steaming some 271,000 miles on post war survey duties alone. She was replaced in the fleet by HMAS Moresby (I), which commissioned in March 1964.
- August 9, 1963
The Minister for Defence, Senator J. Gorton, announced that the Australian Minesweeping Squadron would sweep mines in Bougainville waters.
- July 18, 1963
817 squadron recommissioned with the Wessex 31A helicopter
- July 5, 1963
A Sea Venom crashed into Sydney Harbour following a collision with another Sea Venom during a flypast.
- June 28, 1963
The River class, (modified type 12 frigate), destroyer escort, HMAS STUART, (CMDR M. L. Molony, RAN), was commissioned. STUART was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 20 March 1959, and launched on 8 April 1961. Mrs J. Gorton, (Wife of the Minister for the Navy), performed the launching ceremony.
- June 18, 1963
805 Squadron, flying Sea Venoms, decommissioned
- May 8, 1963
HMAS QUEENBOROUGH, (frigate), struck HMS TABARD, (submarine), while exercising off Sydney. Both vessels were damaged but returned to Port under their own power.
- April 24, 1963
HMAS Quickmatch paid off to Reserve at Williamstown. After paying off she served as an accommodation ship at Williamstown. On 15 February 1972 Quickmatch was sold for scrap to Fujita Salvage Company Limited of Osaka, Japan. On 6 July 1972 the Japanese tug Sumi Maru left Melbourne for Japan with Quickmatch and another former RAN vessel, Gascoyne (I), in tow.
- March 30, 1963
805 Squadron, flying the Sea Venom, decommissioned at NAS Nowra
- March 28, 1963
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II signalled the destroyer HMAS ANZAC at the conclusion of the Royal Tour of Australia; “Splice the main brace”. The RAN does not splice the main brace except on the order of the Commander-in-Chief.