A couple of logistical resupply photos

[Carzee]

"Vung Tau Ferry" HMAS Sydney

Summary of RAN "Reports Of Proceedings: 1969"


03feb69 1200 commence passage to Vung Tau after embarkation of 5RAR troops and equipment via Fremantle.

15feb69 0700 arrive Vung Tau and disembark 5RAR troops and backload stores.

15feb69 1225 commence passage to Sydney.

28feb69 0830 arrive Garden Is, Sydney.

mar69 RAN Exercise in vicinity of Fiji and New Zealand.

05may69 0825 commence passage to Townsville from Sydney.

08may69 0500 arrive Townsville and embark 6RAR troops and equipment.

08may60 1630 commence passage to Vung Tau.

19may69 0655 arrive Vung Tau and disembark 6RAR troops. Embark 4RAR troops.

19may69 1225 commence passage to Brisbane.

30may69 0828 arrive Brisbane and disembark 4RAR troops. RAN crew participation in Parade and March Past in Brisbane streets employing Sydney's RAN Band.

30may69 1225 commence passage to Sydney.

31may69 1530 arrive Garden Is, Sydney.

jun - jul - aug - sep - oct 69 multiple Industrial troubles at dry-docks.

15nov69 1006 passage to Brisbane.

16nov69 1415 arrive Brisbane and embark 8RAR troops and equipment.

17nov69 1230 commence passage to Vung Tau. Encountered big seas and swells in the South China Sea; force 5-7 NNE wind.

Query 20 pallets of cardboard box cargo (mainly Xmas gifts) regards storm damage.

28nov69 0600 arrive Vung Tau and disembark 8RAR and equipment. Embarkation of 9RAR troops.

28nov69 1200 commence passage to Adelaide via Fremantle.

05dec69 0813 arrive Fremantle after Force 6 winds and storm at sea.

09dec69 0730 arrive Adelaide and disembark 9RAR and stores.

09dec69 1530 commence passage to Sydney.

12dec69 0800 arrive Garden Is, Sydney. Extended crew Leave.

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm78/329/awm78-329-14part1.pdf

[Carzee]

"Vung Tau Ferry" HMAS Sydney

Summary of RAN "Reports Of Proceedings: 1970"


16feb70 1100 commence passage to Vung Tau after embarking 7RAR troops and equipment. Attained "..speed over 20knots".

27feb70 0638 arrive Vung Tau and disembarked 7RAR troops and stores. Embarked 5RAR troops and backloaded large quantity of cargo (incl 111 trailers) [??] by use of barges.

27feb70 1105 commence passage to Sydney via Fremantle.

05mar69 1130 arrive Fremantle.

05mar70 1600 continue passage to Sydney.

10mar69 0700 arrive Garden Is, Sydney and disembark 5RAR and unload equipment.

mar - apr70 maintenance period. Garden Is Industrial stoppages [ref document snip]

29apr70 RAN crew and family members on board at Garden Is berth (with other RAN fleet) to witness fireworks, H.M. Royal Yacht Britannia, the Royal visit, march through the Sydney streets and other celebrations for the Bi-centennial Celebrations of Capt. Cook's landing at Kurnell in 1770.

jun - jul - aug70 refit delays and anti-war union disputes disable HMAS Sydney and HMAS Melbourne RAN operations.

25aug70 RAN sea trials to Great Barrier Reef, Brisbane and return to Sydney.

18sep70 1000 arrive Garden Is, Sydney.

21sep70 loaded 300 tons cement and 60 tons stores "for a trooping voyage."

30sep70 commence passage Melbourne.

01oct70 arrive Frankston Pier 2325 and then moved to - coincided with Navy Week in Melbourne.

06oct70 1405 passage to Adelaide.

08oct70 0845 arrive Adelaide after delays due to tugboat union declaring HMAS "Black" and "in protest against the dirty history of the ship, Sydney having made 15 voyages to Vietnam." When open to the public at the wharf, 11oct70, 6558 members of the public came on board.

12oct70 1440 passage to Fremantle. A Court Martial proceeded in public regarding nuisance fires in hangars whilst at Garden Is.

21oct70 1410 commence passage to Vung Tau.

31oct70 0742 arrive Vung Tau via Fremantle and Singapore. Unload 300 tons cement and 60 tons stores. Backload 38 large containers and 57 pallets of cargo and 57 Land Rovers/trucks/trailers.

01nov70 0805-1035 embarked 8RAR using three US Army chinooks (incl official farewell visit onboard Brigadier 1ATF and AFV Commander via RAAF Iraquois helicopter).

01nov70 1130 depart Vung Tau and commence passage to Brisbane.

12nov70 0810 arrive Brisbane and disembark 8RAR. Unload vehicles and stores. "Ship's divers assisted in the recovery of three trucks which had been immersed while being discharged by Army personnel from a barge to a ramp on the south side of the Brisbane River." Receptive crowd in street parade for 8RAR (RAN participated).

16nov70 1245 commence passage to Sydney.

18nov70 0845 arrive Garden Is, Sydney. Short task at Jervis Bay for inspections etc, then return to Garden Island for extended crew leave.


http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm78/329/awm78-329-14part2.pdf

[Carzee]

"Vung Tau Ferry" HMAS Sydney

Summary of RAN "Reports Of Proceedings: 1971"


02feb71 arrive Melbourne.

05feb71 arrive Hobart. Attended Derwent regatta.

12feb71 1230 arrive Adelaide. Embarked 3RAR troops and loaded 140 pallets and 45,000 rounds ammunition.

15feb71 1000 commence passage to Vung Tau.

25feb71 0700 arrived Vung Tau and disembarked 3RAR troops. Embarked 7RAR troops (506 officers and ranks) via chinook helicopter and cargo unloaded/loaded via one available barge.

25feb71 1500 commence passage to Sydney.

04mar71 arrive Fremantle. Voyage across Great Australian Bight experienced unfortunate epidemic on board -- 323 cases of dysentery. Epidemic was brought under control off Adelaide 09mar71; down to 30 cases.

10mar71 arrive Garden Is, Sydney and disembark 7RAR troops.

[[ a page is missing from the AWM file here ]]


25mar71 arrive outer harbour anchor point at Adelaide. Load cargo 25mar71. Cargo: 100 Dodge trucks (490 tons) destined for Cambodian Aid.

26mar71 commence passage to Vung Tau via Rottnest Is. for mail pickup.

05apr71 0715 arrive Vung Tau and unload "trucks and associated spares" using barges secured by 1ALSG.

05apr71 1545 commence passage to Sydney via Hong Kong and Manus Is PNG.

23apr71 1000 arrive Garden Is, Sydney, in time for the ANZAC long weekend.

19may71 1100 commence passage to Vung Tau with cargo: 160 trucks (696 tons) for Cambodia Aid.

13may71 0630 arrive Townsville to embark 4RAR troops (506 officers and ranks).

13may71 1345 commence passage to Vung Tau. At 2245 'man over board' emergency action 2 miles from Queensland shore.

22may71 0645 arrive Vung Tau but after unloading stores using barges, security condition changed, and under "local threat" warning, HMAS Sydney went back to sea for the night.

23may71 return Vung Tau harbour and disembarked 4RAR troops via chinook helicopter, finished by 1115. Embarked 2RAR troops and stores.

23may71 1400 commence passage for Townsville.

01jun71 0800 arrive Townsville and disembark 2RAR troops. 1215 official welcome march thru Townsville city.

01jun71 1640 commence passage to Sydney.

04jun71 0700 arrive Garden Is, Sydney.

07jun71 "Residue of 2RAR equipment and vehicles were disembarked."

15jun71 commence passage to Pearl Harbour, San Diego, San Fransisco, Vancouver. Then Pearl Harbour and Suva, on return passage.

11aug71 return via Jervis Bay.

15-16sep71 loaded 154 vehicles at Garden Is using Bailey bridge; Landrovers/trailers/wheeled plant etc, supply for Singapore new ANZUK force.

20sep71 0930 commence passage to Singapore. Also loaded from harbour lighter at buoy... "96 pallets redundant ammunition" for dumping in over 550 fathoms from 1700 to 2030 by gangway chute on starboard side."

30sep71 arrived Singapore. Vehicles unloaded with shoreside cranes.

04oct71 1600 commence passage to Vung Tau.

06oct71 0700 arrive Vung Tau. Problems with generator coolant - constrant blockage on strainers due to Mekong River debris. Embarked 3RAR troops (518 officers and ranks) 0740-1400 by Iroquois helicopter. Cargo loading using barges ended 2200. Backload cargo comprised many vehicles, containers, pallets (total 3886 cubic tons).

07oct71 0700 commence passage to Adelaide via Rottnest Is. Storms at sea in the Great Australian Bight caused two 10 ton containers to move inside a hangar and damage a Land Rover etc.

16oct71 0900 arrive Adelaide to disembark some troops.

19oct71 1100 arrive at Sydney. Remaining 3RAR troops disembark. RTA vehicles and stores unloaded.

26oct71 commence passage to Vung Tau. Loaded with 130 pallets of redundant ammunition for dumping at sea in 550 fathoms.

06nov71 0700 arrive at Vung Tau: "Personnel embarkation by Iroquois helicopter started at 0724 and included units of 11 Field Sqn, 104 Signals Sqn, 12 Field Regiment, 17 Construction Sqn RAE, A Sqn of 3rd Cavalry Regiment, a Headquarters component, and Education Staff - all in 410 personnel. Embarkation of 4629 shipping tons of cargo commenced at 0800 and continued concurrently and included 179 various vehicles, stores and equipment" Loaded by 1700. Visit by AFV Commander and Aust. Ambassador in South Vietnam.

07nov71 0001 commence passage to Sydney via Townsville.

18nov71 0800 arrive Garden Is, Sydney. "Industrial unrest again prevented the use of dockyard cranes and gangway facilities". RAN participation of 61 members landed to take part in Combined Services Vietnam March at 1130.

24nov71 1015 commence passage "for the final Vung Tau voyage before Christmas" after loading stores and 82 tons of redundant ammunition for dumping at sea.

03dec71 1745 arrive Singapore and unloaded ANZUK 9tons cargo.

08dec71 0645 arrive at Vung Tau: "Advance party of 4RAR, 104 Field Battery of 9 Sqn RAAF arrived on board at 0740." 4RAR troops (365 officers and ranks), stores, 108 vehicles, 16 Iroquois helicopters were loaded by 1830. Ship fired a 21 gun salute and had a parade on deck 1200 08dec71 with Aust. Ambassador and SVN President Nguyen Van Thieu to officially "thank the Australian Forces for their task in South Vietnam."

09dec71 0030 commence passage to Townsville.

17dec71 1500 arrive Townsville's outer harbour. A chartered vehicular ferry was chartered to unload vehicles and stores. Disembarkation of 4RAR troops and 104 Field Battery began at 0830 followed by a March through the city.

17dec71 1535Afterwards southern destination troops re-embarked and departed Townsville.

19dec71 0530 anchored off Mooloolaba and 9 Sqn Iroquois helicopters commenced flying off.

19dec71 0900 continue passage to Sydney.

20dec71 1100 arrived Garden Is, Sydney. Remaining 4RAR troops disembarked and 104 Field Battery offloaded. Self maintenance and crew leave.


** "Not since the Second World War has a RAN unit been called upon to complete a programme the length and capacity of which HMAS Sydney has completed in 1971". **

Stats for 1971:

Steamed 79,337 miles
Average Speed for year 18.4 knots
Total days at sea 182.6
Total days in Vung Tau 4.5
Conveyed 3328 troops
Conveyed 845 vehicles
Conveyed 10 aircraft
Conveyed 16 helicopters



http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm78/329/awm78-329-15.pdf

[Carzee]

"Vung Tau Ferry" HMAS Sydney

Summary of RAN "Reports Of Proceedings: 1972"

jan72 self maintenance and leave etc.

14feb72 0900 commence passage to Vung Tau via Great Barrier Reef and Singapore after loading "Army explosives for Singapore."

23feb72 arrive Singapore and unload cargo using LCM (31 Army Containers). Cocktail Party on board with Australian High Commissioner, HRH Sultan of Johore, and Commander of ANZUK, USN Attache, and a Rear Admiral.

28feb72 0700 arrive and anchor off Vung Tau. 1030 commence unloading using helicopter and then embarkation of troops (213 officers and ranks). By 2030 cargo of 39 vehicles and 102 containers was loaded. 1130 Captain departs for Luncheon in Saigon with the Australian Ambassador and then returns with the Ambassador at 1600. The Ambassador stays onboard overnight. HMAS Sydney steams to sea overnight. [presumably for security]

29feb72 0900 return to Vung Tau. Ambassador departs by helicopter. Remainder of troops and cargo embarked using LCM. AAFV HQ party arrives on board with the Commander using a helicopter. 1500 Farewell Parade held on deck. Troops give "Three cheers for the RAN." AAFV Commander Dunstan inspects the ship and talks with troops informally.

Loading task of troops (474), vehicles (64) and containers (102), completed 1900. For both periods at anchor in Vung Tau the ships diving crew had gained "valuable experience" inspecting and securing the ship, including use of a 'half-necklace'.

29feb72 1915 commence passage to Townsville and Sydney via Great Barrier Reef.

09mar72 1500 arrive Townsville with "459 troops and a large amount of equipment on board, constituting the final Army withdrawal from Vietnam." 3TF NQ Area Command and OC 4RAR arrive on board by helicopter to welcome home returning troops. North Queensland troops were landed by LCM and ship's mail was embarked.

09mar72 1730 continued passage to Sydney.

12mar72 0645 arrive at Sydney Harbour buoy. Hon. R. Katter MP, Minister For The Army, RAN Command, Customs, and press, board by tender.

12mar72 0815 arrive Garden Is, Sydney. It was a Sunday. Troops disembarked and leave granted. Offloading of Army cargo commenced 1030 and was completed by 0815 next morning.

24mar72 1100 passage to Jervis Bay for Combined Services Exercise Rising Tide using inflatable boats, recce parties. HMAS Sydney had embarked 3rd Sqn SASR, service exercise umpires and observers.

25mar72 0415 RAN Iroquois helicopters (2) and RAAF Iroquois helicopters (4) utilised for "helicopter borne assault" exercises, winching and ditching and Medevac demonstrations.

27mar72 0900 arrive Garden Is, Sydney.

04apr72 commence passage to Wellington, New Zealand.

07apr72 arrive Wellington. Visits and official reception on board with Australian High Commissioner, etc.

13apr72 arrive Auckland. Visits and official reception on board with Australian Trade Commissioner and other visitors including Sir Edmund Hillary.

15-16apr72 1330 to 1700 ship Open to Public (4500 visitors). a "anti-war demonstration... was of no consequence other then the necessity to close the ship to visitors for a period on Sunday 16th of April. The demonstrators... were badly organised with poor leadership and in consequence their disruptive efforts had no impact."
 
18apr72 1100 commence passage to Sydney.

19apr72 1300 arrive Garden Is, Sydney.

01may72 loaded "over 400 pallets of redundant RAN and RAAF ammunition."

02may72 steamed to "deep water areas off the coast" and "..dumping was carried out."

04may72 Jervis Bay training.

05may72 1500 return to Garden Is, Sydney.

may72 "...morale in HMA Ships is affected by many facets of naval life and one of these is the mundane but very necessary provision of fresh water. In a ship as old as HMAS Sydney, the original pipework is severely corroded, and, the resultant liquid emerging from the ship's taps ranges from the purely murky to blood red. Not only is it demoralising to see all one's underclothing, shirts, towels and uniforms (all originally white) become stained and then ragged from the resultant bleaching that is necessary; but it also becomes a financial drain which is not reimbursed... it is a matter for consideration that seagoing allowances might be scaled according to the age of ships in which officers and sailors are serving."

jun - jul - aug - sep - oct72 refits and delays at Garden Is, Sydney. Bomb hoaxes in October.

20oct72 shakedown trails in Jervis Bay and return to Garden Is.

26oct72 - 31oct72 loaded cargo and ammunition for "forthcoming visit to South East Asian Ports."

01nov72 commence passage to South East Asian Ports via Great Barrier Reef.

11nov72 1030 arrive Djakarta, unload cargo using LCMs and lighters provided.

11nov72 1630 continue passage.

13nov72 2345 arrive Singapore buoy.

20nov72 0830 unloaded ANZUK vehicles (90) and embark backload vehicles (15). Ammunition also unloaded.

21nov72 1400 commence passage to Vung Tau with HMAS Vampire.

24nov72 0700 arrive Vung Tau and begin unloading of cargo [Cambodian Aid?] using barges. "By 1333 all cargo had been off-loaded." Task was completed very efficiently.

24nov 1500 commence passage to Sydney via Hong Kong, Subic Base and Manus Is PNG..

30nov72 arrive Hong Kong.

04dec72 continue passage to Subic Base and then Manus Is PNG.

18dec72 0800 arrive Garden Is, Sydney. Self maintenance and crew leave.



http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm78/329/awm78-329-16.pdf

Tragically, the asbestos hazard appears to be unknown and unmentioned to that point of time.

[Carzee]

Ok, so now we can see the total number of Vung Tau Ferry runs.... and lesser known or behind-the-scenes issues of HMAS Sydney.

These are the runs documented in The Reports on Proceedings (RAN) archived at the AWM. 1967 is the exception. (some lost ROP documents)

1965 - 2 runs
1966 - 2 runs
1967 - 4 runs
1968 - 4 runs
1969 - 3 runs
1970 - 2 runs
1971 - 6 runs
1972 - 2 runs

In the research carried out for the book Mud 'n Dust by Michael Cecil, a total of 24 runs was found.

I have a total of 25 Voyages. Why the extra voyage? The AWM files are missing 1967 Reports On Proceedings for HMAS Sydney.

In the book "The Vung Tau Ferry And Escort Ships" by Nott & Payne, there is a voyage from Australia to Vung Tau to deliver 7RAR 'in country', arriving 20apr67. The VTF leaves, without RTA troops, and sails south to Singapore, out of the war zone, arriving 22apr67. Then , on 28apr67 the VTF leaves Singapore and sails back to Vung Tau, arriving on 30apr67 to load 5RAR elements -- and then there's a return voyage to Australia. So there was a delay of a week (during a handover or battalion relief) between 7RAR and 5RAR.

So one voyage to and from Australia becomes two voyages to and from Vung Tau... a technicality.

When reading the HMAS Sydney Proceedings I caught a sense of the RAN lifestyle being "at odds" to the grunts, and I mean "at odds". I'm not sure the RAR grunts would have appreciated the effort expended on RAN diplomacy and social events for the officer class such as the cocktail parties, receptions and numerous visits to Flemington around Spring Carnival time.

Also interesting in the files is the scale of interference (political action) by the shipping industry union leadership of the period. The document includes this list from April 1970.



You can see that in the year 1970 there are only 2 trips to Vung Tau.

Of course I should briefly note that the South Vietnam transport tasks were carried out by other ships as well... i.e., The Jeparit (ANL) which carried out 38 runs from June 1966 to March 1972, The Boonaroo (ANL) which had 2 runs, and The John Monash (purchased by the Australian Army -Mud 'n Dust lists its final Vietnam run as September 1972).

RAN The Army (RAE) also used the four LSMs purchased from USN stock in Japan: Harry Chauvel, Vernon Sturdee, Clive Steele, and Brudenell White (ref. Mud 'n Dust). See also: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/SeriesDetail.aspx?series_no=AWM270

There was also a Japanese freighter, The Harima Maru, which was utilised for 3 runs during the withdrawal period, September 1971, November 1971 and February 1972 (ref. Mud 'n Dust).

Also (from the other REMLR thread, Some Sth Vietnam snippets)
"MV Jeparit was originally an Australian National Line vessel which completed five voyages to South Vietnam between June 1966 and February 1967. The ship had an all civilian crew and sailed as a merchant vessel on charter to the then Department of Shipping and Transport (DST), carrying supplies for the Australian forces engaged in the Vietnam War. After the fifth voyage some seamen refused to man the vessel. To overcome this difficulty, crew members who were prepared to continue to serve on the Jeparit were supplemented by a Royal Australian Navy detachment. Following Jeparit's twenty-sixth round voyage to Vietnam (her twenty-first with the Royal Australian Navy detachment embarked), further industrial trouble developed and it was decided to commission Jeparit as an HMA Ship. Accordingly, the vessel was commissioned as HMAS Jeparit on 11 December 1969. Jeparit made a further seventeen voyages under the White Ensign, although still with a mixed RAN and Merchant Navy crew. Jeparit's last round voyage to Vietnam ended when she returned to Sydney on 11 March 1972." http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P03051.002
Jeparit at De Long Pier. Perhaps the Jeparit draft allowed it with no drama, whereas HMAS Sydney would've grounded?

Here is a sample Land-Rover document from the AWM archives:



In the next few months our ARN linked data will be much improved.

[Carzee]

...and we're back at the start : this is a RAASC task (42 Tpt Pl. DUKW on exercise at Fraser Island) in November 1964 .
http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm78/329/awm78-329-11.pdf

[Mike C]

"RAN also used the four LSMs purchased from USN stock in Japan: Harry Chauvel, Vernon Sturdee, Clive Steele, and Brudenell White (ref. Mud 'n Dust)".  No, not RAN: they were Army vessels, operated by RAE. 

I also missed one vessel in M&D: a single cargo run by the Helma Taylor.

HMAS Sydney did 24 runs (based on departure dates from Australia on northward leg), the differences between your list and mine is (1) 1967: three runs, and (2) 1972: two runs, the second was in November.

Mike C

[Carzee]

November 72? I didn't read that far as the mention of the final task to Vietnam popped up a time or two in February.

I will edit up the misses when I'm off shift Monday.

I wonder how the 1967 Proceedings were mislaid...

[Tommy]

...and we're back at the start : this is a RAASC task (42 Tpt Pl. DUKW on exercise at Fraser Island) in November 1964.

I thought that photo looked familiar

Flight deck packed full of Studebaker 6x6, DUKW, Land Rovers and Inter AS 161s.

[stephendavis]

...and we're back at the start : this is a RAASC task (42 Tpt Pl. DUKW on exercise at Fraser Island) in November 1964.

was it on its way to vietnam or just a training ex

Flight deck packed full of Studebaker 6x6, DUKW, Land Rovers and Inter AS 161s.

[Carzee]

Apologies, I didn't note the 1964 file and photo source on the post. The info is in
http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm78/329/awm78-329-11.pdf

Ps, this thread is almost fatal to my mobile phone.

You'll see I am infilling the Army units that sailed with the Sydney on its voyages to Vungers and the RTA voyages.

I got only as far as 1Apr66 before I hit mismatches of the SVN Unit Allocation Dates in that document and the HMAS Sydney logged data.
The  SVN Unit Allocations document was posted on REMLR in 2012, http://remlr.com/forum/index.php?topic=215.0

... which I had thought were good, are now causing me to re-check facts against the dates... there are a boatload of units listed in the Allotment ref doc for 1apr66 but the Sydney sailed 22apr66. Perhaps they all went over on QANTAS?

Mike Cecil mentioned the official history; its the one to find, it has the official Unit Allocations for SVN, the official dates, and its now on my "To Do List".

[4X4-566]

I'm not sure the RAR grunts appreciated the effort expended on RAN diplomacy and social tasks such as cocktail parties, receptions and visits to Flemington.

Also interesting is the scale of interference run (political action) by the Union leadership of the period. The document includes this list from April 1970.



You can see that in the year 1970 there are only 2 trips to Vung Tau.

Of course I should briefly note that the South Vietnam transport tasks were carried out by other ships as well... i.e., The Jeparit (ANL) which carried out 42 runs from June 1966 to March 1972, The Boonaroo (ANL) which had 2 runs, and The John Monash (purchased by the Australian Army -Mud 'n Dust lists its final Vietnam run as September 1972).

RAN The Army (RAE) also used the four LSMs purchased from USN stock in Japan: Harry Chauvel, Vernon Sturdee, Clive Steele, and Brudenell White (ref. Mud 'n Dust). See also: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/SeriesDetail.aspx?series_no=AWM270

There was also a Japanese freighter, The Harima Maru, which was utilised for 3 runs during the withdrawal period, September 1971, November 1971 and February 1972 (ref. Mud 'n Dust).

Also (from the other REMLR thread, Some Sth Vietnam snippets)
"MV Jeparit was originally an Australian National Line vessel which completed five voyages to South Vietnam between June 1966 and February 1967. The ship had an all civilian crew and sailed as a merchant vessel on charter to the then Department of Shipping and Transport (DST), carrying supplies for the Australian forces engaged in the Vietnam War. After the fifth voyage some seamen refused to man the vessel. To overcome this difficulty, crew members who were prepared to continue to serve on the Jeparit were supplemented by a Royal Australian Navy detachment. Following Jeparit's twenty-sixth round voyage to Vietnam (her twenty-first with the Royal Australian Navy detachment embarked), further industrial trouble developed and it was decided to commission Jeparit as an HMA Ship. Accordingly, the vessel was commissioned as HMAS Jeparit on 11 December 1969. Jeparit made a further seventeen voyages under the White Ensign, although still with a mixed RAN and Merchant Navy crew. Jeparit's last round voyage to Vietnam ended when she returned to Sydney on 11 March 1972." http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P03051.002
Jeparit at De Long Pier. Perhaps the Jeparit draft allowed it with no drama, whereas HMAS Sydney would've grounded?

The unions were openly in support of their communist comrades in Soviet Russia and China.

The Japarit debacle is interesting when we consider the British Royal Fleet Auxilliary and the US Navy Military Sealift Command (USNS ships) which have traditionally been Navy ships on a civilian register whith a mainly civilian crew including a civilian captain.

[Diana Alan]

The Vung Tau Ferry terminal today.

[Carzee]

I think it looked better in the sixties, at night, and whilst wearing dark glasses.

Ick.

[Uncle Ho]

G'day Folks 

Have a friend that was a DUKW driver on the Vunger's Ferry,he contacted me for info when DVA knocked back his pension application,I found 2 pics one from a "Time Life" mag of Sydney at sea with DUKWs on board and he found another one at the AWM of himself talking to his old boss on her,(this boss had denied to the Tribunal that he was on the Sydney.
His advocate presented the photo and his ex-boss copped a rocket

Bung-Tiddley