HMAS Hobart (D39)

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Career
Ordered:
Laid down:	26 October 1962
Launched:	9 January 1964
Commissioned:	18 December 1965
Decommissioned:	12 May 2000
Fate:	Sunk as a dive wreck
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	4,600 tons
Length:	134 m
Beam:	14 m
Draught:	6 m
Propulsion:	2 × General Electric steam turbines providing 70,000 hp (52 mW)
Speed:	30+ knots
Range:	6,000 miles at 15 knots
Complement:	310
Armament:	Mk 13 Mod 6 launcher for SM-1; 2 x 127 mm/54 (5 in/54) Mk 42; 2 x 20 mm Mk 15 Vulcan Phalanx; 2 x triple 324 mm Mk 32 torpedo tubes
Aircraft:
Motto:	"Sic Fortis Hobartia Crevit"

HMAS Hobart (D-39) was a Perth class guided missile armed destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy. She was laid down by Defoe Shipbuilding Company at Bay City, Michigan, USA, on 26 October 1962, launched on 9 January 1964 and commissioned at Boston in Massachusetts on 18 December 1965.

Hobart served as plane guard for carriers on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf, participated in Sea Dragon and Market Time operations, patrolled on search and rescue duties and carried out gunfire support missions during the conflict in Vietnam.

On June 17, 1968 while on duty in Vietnamese waters, Hobart was struck by three Sparrow missiles fired from a USAF 7^th Air Force aircraft (one of the three missiles failed to explode). Two crew were killed and several injured. Shrapnel holes were still evident in Hobart's AN/SPG-51C Missile Fire Control radar power supplies as late as the early-mid 1980s. [1]

Hobart paid off on 12 May 2000 and was sunk as a dive wreck off South Australia 5 November 2002.

Hobart was awarded the United States Navy Unit Commendation for her service in Vietnam.

See HMAS Hobart for other ships of this name.

Non-U.S. winners of U.S. gallantry awards

Perth class destroyer

Perth | Hobart | Brisbane

List of major warship classes of the Royal Australian Navy

[edit] External links

• A detailed account of the 17 June action can be found at the Gun Plot website.