Australian destroyers provided critical naval gunfire support and offshore patrols with the United States (US) 7th Fleet between 1967 and 1971. Despite the dangers of Operation Sea Dragon and tragic friendly fire casualties, these ships maintained a constant presence, effectively interdicting enemy resupply and supporting ground forces.
Australia's largest naval commitment to the Vietnam War was the provision of destroyers.
These ships served with the US 7th Fleet on the 'gunline' – delivering naval gunfire support for ground forces.
Three destroyers served multiple 6-monthly rotations between 1967 and 1971:
- HMAS Hobart
- HMAS Brisbane
- HMAS Perth.
The Daring-class destroyer, HMAS Vendetta, served one tour of duty on the gunline.
The Australian vessels emerged from the gunline largely unscathed, but the requirements of operational service placed heavy demands on ships' companies. Gunline destroyers were constantly available to support shore-based forces and conduct offshore patrols.
Hobart and Perth were also involved in Operation Sea Dragon along the North Vietnamese coast between 1966 and 1968.
Ships serving on Sea Dragon interdicted enemy attempts at seaborne infiltration and resupply along the North Vietnamese coast from the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) to the Red River delta near Hanoi. They often came under heavy and accurate fire from shore-based batteries.
For the ships of the RAN serving in the waters off Vietnam, these operations were amongst the most dangerous of the war. In one tragic incident, 2 members of Hobart's crew were killed when the ship was mistakenly attacked by a US aircraft.
For the sailors who came under fire and saw friends killed and wounded, the war was every bit as real as it was for the ground forces in South Vietnam. No one entering an operational area can be sure what will happen. Only with hindsight is it possible to rank the relative danger of one type of service over another.
