HMAS Hobart - A tribute...

On June 17, 1968 while on the gun line with Yankee Station off the coast of North Vietnam, HOBART was struck by three Sparrow missiles fired from a USAF 7th Air Force aircraft (one of the three missiles failed to explode). Two crewmen were killed and seven injured. HOBART and USS BOSTON had been in the vicinity of two US Navy Swift Boats (PCF-12 & PCF-19) that were attacked and sunk after a 2-hour gun battle by North Vietnamese Helicopters. US jets arrived several hours later (around midnight) but the enemy aircraft had departed. As the attack by helicopter was unprecedented, the US aircraft attacked the BOSTON and HOBART assuming they were the enemy who sunk the Swift Boats. The BOSTON suffered no casualties, and was only slightly damaged. In all, HOBART served three tours of duty, and was awarded the United States Navy Unit Commendation for the 1st and 3rd Tours in Vietnam.

HOBART was decommissioned on 12 May 2000 and was sunk as a dive wreck four nautical miles west-north-west of Marina Vincent, Yankalilla Bay, South Australia on 5 November 2002

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• HMAS
• Hobart
• RAN
• DDG39

[DarkCloakStudios]

My dad served on HMAS Hobart 2 as a AB Writer He said it was the best ship in the navy at the time and if she was still floating today she would still be the best.

[ozzirt]

I'm grateful for having one last chance to go down No1 Fireroom in Port Adelaide a few days before her last journey, and squat behind the control panel. (the seat was gone, as were all the plates) It was an eerie experience, for a moment the hairs stood up on the back of my neck, as my mind went back and I saw in my mind a thousand old Stokers coming back to say their goodbyes.

Farewell old girl,...

[ozzirt]

@turkshead G'Day "Arab" good to see that you're still about.

Take care mate,...

[jenkomagic]

My first sea posting as a SMNETP

[grl8862]

Pity more of these ships can't be saved as floating history museum pieces. Not to point out the obvious, but a sunken ship has very limited public access...

[stokers041]

RIP green ghost I started a kelic stocker and paid off as the nav on the last run

[turkshead]

15 secs i closed ,4 years on her.

rip

[Wallys3rdSon]

Thanks for posting. A moving tribute. I've always thought it a pity that more ships don't spend their retirement above the water, not under it. Just wondering how you guys would have preferred your ship, in a maritime museum somewhere or in a watery grave? I guess there would be ongoing costs associated with the former, the worry of asbestos, etc. I would love for some of the Australian heavy cruisers of WW2 to be still around. Closest thing is HMS Belfast in London.

[heelers]

I'm sure you have some great memories, I know i do. She would have looked good when she was brand new.

[TheCrocodileted]

I was the commissioning crew for Hobart in 1965 in Boston, commissioned the new White Ensign in 1967 before going to Vietnam, the then skipper was Guy Griffith, great to serve with, true gentleman. Hobart was the mightiest of the DDG's, may she rest where she lies.

I now live in Boston.

TheCrocodileted