From Battleship to Seabed: The Remarkable Journey of HMAS Brisbane
THE HMAS BRISBANE
Photo credit scubaworld.com.au
Once upon a time, the HMAS Brisbane embarked on a remarkable journey that led her to the depths of the ocean. Let's rewind to the beginning of this extraordinary vessel's life and explore the fascinating adventures she undertook.
The HMAS Brisbane was part of the prestigious Perth-class guided-missile destroyers, a pride of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Alongside her sister ships, HMAS Perth and HMAS Hobart, the HMAS Brisbane was a pioneer in the RAN's fleet of guided missile-armed destroyers. Constructed in Bay City, Michigan, in 1965, she officially joined the RAN's ranks on December 7th, 1967.
Initially, Brisbane's days were spent honing her skills in ocean exercises in US waters before setting sail for Australia in September 1968.
1969, the call of duty beckoned as Australia joined the Vietnam War at the urging of the USA. The Brisbane found herself in the midst of the action, venturing into Vietnamese waters not once, but twice. From naval gunfire support missions to aiding distressed vessels, the Brisbane's service was marked by courage and resilience. Despite facing challenges, including turret damage and intense combat, the Brisbane's dedication never wavered. Her exemplary service during the Vietnam War earned her accolades and admiration from all quarters.
A Fiery Escape
Brisbane's first stay in battle came to an end on May 18th, when she sailed to Subic Bay for maintenance, repairs, and shore relief for the crew. Brisbane's return to the theatre of war was on June 10th, alongside the USS Rowan, in of Task Force South. Over the next four days, the Brisbane and the USS Rowan conducted just short of 200 NGS missions, mostly aimed at enemy base camps and areas of intelligence.
On June 30th, while Brisbane made her way to Singapore, she spotted the NV Sincere — a merchant naval vessel — in distress and on fire. The Brisbane dispatched a team of 71 officers and sailors to fight the fire, but they were unable to control the flames and the decision was taken for the Sincere to be abandoned. The crew of the Sincere was therefore taken on board the Brisbane, which then guarded the burning merchant ship until the arrival of a salvage tugboat named the Salvana on July 3rd. Back in the theatre of war, Brisbane would soon suffer a difficult blow On July 22nd, while onshore bombardment duty, the Brisbane took damage to the forward gun turret. All onboard survived — save for a broken wrist of one crewman — but the damage to the turret was irreparable.
The turret was removed when the Brisbane arrived back at Subic on August 3rd. A replacement would not arrive until September, so once re-deployed, the Brisbane primarily functioned as the head of the escort screen for the USS Oriskany. The replacement turret was eventually fitted on September 25th. Brisbane then returned to Sydney, Australia, in mid-October for an extensive refit, which included the installation of an Ikara anti-submarine missile system. This refit was so all-encompassing that the Brisbane would not be complete until July of the following year. Brisbane is generally considered to have had a rather quiet entrance into the theatre of war, having only fired 7,891 shells during her six-month deployment.
On March 29th 1971, Brisbane relieved her sister ship the Perth of duties in Vietnam. Brisbane was assigned Military Region 3 gunfire duties initially, but then moved south to Region 4. This first period of her second deployment was considered relatively quiet and passed off without major incident. The Brisbane returned to the gunline on May 15th to relieve the USS Floyd B. Parks. This was notable as it was the first time an RAN officer had held the position of Gunline Commander, which was assumed by the Brisbane's commanding officer. During this period, the Brisbane operated to the south of the DMZ until she was called upon to provide close protection for the USS Kitty Hawk on May 31st.
Brisbane departed the theatre of war on June 12th 1971 for Hong Kong, returning to the gunline on June 24th. Upon taking up operations again, she operated entirely in Regions 3 and 4. After further brief periods in Subic Bay and Hong Kong, she returned to the area of operations for her final deployment on August 15th. During this time, which she spent on the border of the DMZ, there was a notable increase in enemy operations. As a result, the Brisbane was involved in further NGS missions. Of the 7,231 Brisbane fired during her second deployment, 2,127 were fired from August 15th onwards, showcasing just how intense the fighting became at this stage. Brisbane left the gunline for the final time on September 5th via Hong Kong. She was withdrawn due to the Australian government's decision to cease involvement in the Vietnam War.
Brisbane was the last ship to make combat deployment during the Vietnam War and was not replaced when her deployment ended. When Brisbane's second, and final, deployment ended, her service received huge praise from the Commander of the US Navy, who spoke highly of the ship and the work of her crew. Additional praise was received in the form of the 1971 Duke of Gloucester's Cup, an award given to the most efficient ship of the RAN in a given year.
Darwin, 1974
After several years, during which she underwent a major refit, the Brisbane found herself called into action– but this time, for a very different purpose to that she had fulfilled previously. Cyclone Tracy severely damaged the city of Darwin between 24-25th December 1974. As a result, Brisbane's personnel were recalled from holiday leave, and she was dispatched with relief supplies to the stricken city. She arrived in Darwin harbour on December 31st, providing much-needed assistance to the citizens of Darwin.
Other Interesting Facts
On May 9th 1975, Brisbane was escorting the HMAS Melbourne during a five-month trip to the UK for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee celebrations. A Sea King helicopter was forced to ditch in the ocean during the trip– Brisbane successfully recovered the crew. Brisbane took part in Operation Damask in 1990, serving as part of the naval blockade. It sailed to the Gulf region on November 12th and remained until March 22nd 1991. The Brisbane received two battle honours for her time in service: Vietnam 1969 – 1971 and Kuwait 1990 - 1991.
After paying off in 2001, opinions on the future of Brisbane were divided. Eventually, the decision was taken to transform her — and her two Perth-class sisters — into dive wrecks, meaning Brisbane would be deliberately scuttled. First and foremost, however, Brisbane had numerous parts removed for reuse. Her bridge and one of her 5-inch guns were removed for preservation in the Australian War Museum, while her air search radar was donated to the Royal Thai Navy for continued use. Stripped and ready for her final journey, Brisbane was scuttled just off the coast of Mudjimba, off the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. She sank in just two minutes and 10 seconds, and her new life as a dive wreck began. Brisbane sits at a depth of 27 metres, which is around 89 feet. The water clarity is generally considered to be excellent, and temperatures range between 19C and 27C. The wreck is suitable for diving throughout the year and is relatively simple to reach thanks to the short distance (less than 3 nautical miles) from the coast. When on your dive, you can explore the outside of the ship, or head inside to see the engine room and control room. Brisbane is now home to over 300 different species of fish, as well as multiple sponges, both soft and hard corals, turtles, and eagle rays. This staggering array of natural delights combine with a wonderful dive experience makes the ex-HMAS Brisbane a must-dive for those interesting in wreck exploration.
