Royal Australian Navy (RAN)

On the Gunline - Destroyers

Australia’s largest naval commitment to the Vietnam War was the provision of destroyers, on rotation, to serve on the ‘gunline’ – delivering naval gunfire support for ground forces – with the US 7th Fleet. HMAS Hobart, Perth and Brisbane all served on multiple six-monthly rotations between 1967 and 1971. The Daring Class destroyer, HMAS Vendetta served one tour of duty on the gunline.

Only rarely coming under enemy fire, and with one ship a victim of ‘friendly fire’ from US forces, each vessel survived the war largely unscathed. Nevertheless, service on the gunline placed heavy demands on ships’ companies. Gunline destroyers needed to be constantly available to provide continuous support to shore-based forces and to conduct off-shore patrols.

Being on the gunline meant that crews operated at a heightened degree of readiness and there were times when Australian vessels on station off the coast of Vietnam came under fire from shore-based batteries as well as facing the threat of mines. When not on the gunline, RAN ships were routinely involved in coastal surveillance and in interdicting enemy attempts at seaborne infiltration and resupply along the North Vietnamese coast from the Demilitarised Zone to the Red River delta near Hanoi. Occasionally Australian destroyers also joined escort screens to protect United States aircraft carriers.

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