Report to the Members – August 2008

Progress Report of Thesis titled ‘Out of Sight – Out of Mind’

Sea transport and logistical support of the Australian land based forces in Vietnam was probably the most significant contribution made by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to the Australian military commitment in Vietnam. At least two authors have attempted to describe the role played by HMAS Sydney and other units of the RAN involved in logistical support, via a hindsight reconstruction of events. This dissertation will argue that these works have failed adequately to convey the nature and importance of sea transport and logistical support, because they have neglected to consult several significant historical sources, including official naval documentation written and recorded at the time.

This thesis, then, will attempt a close analysis of several neglected aspects of Australian naval history. A definite need has been identified for a complete reappraisal of historical knowledge regarding the value of sea transport and logistical support of the Australian land based forces immediately before, and during the Vietnam War years, 1965-1972. Previous authors appear to have not referred to any of the Commanding Officers (COs) Reports of Proceedings (ROPs) or Ships Logs with a clear understanding of the important information they contain.

The dissertation will present new information gleaned from several primary sources which have been passed over by other historians. By cross correlating information from these sources it will be possible to formulate and advance hypotheses that explain many important aspects of sea transport and logistical support which have not been covered before. One of several reasons that documents such as ROPs and Ships Logs have not been used to their fullest extent by other historians is that one needs to have an understanding of naval terminology and service language to interpret them. A major contribution which the thesis will make lies in the decoding and contextualizing of these records to reveal a much more detailed account of the nature of sea transport and logistical support during the Vietnam War than has hitherto been possible. In particular, the thesis will argue that these records reveal levels of risk involved in the logistical support operation which have not so far been properly recognized in the historical literature or in the public domain. For example, careful analysis of the defensive measures undertaken and the procedures adopted when HMAS Sydney was deployed on voyages between Australia and Vietnam, all of which are recorded in ships logs, will make it possible to demonstrate quite conclusively that the ship and her crew were at an advanced state of readiness while in transit to Vietnam which was inconsistent with normal peacetime cruising.

Not only will a vast body of new evidence be read in a new way in this thesis, but my reading of these documents will be tested against the memories of the actual participants. In many instances, verification of first-hand accounts of deployments will be sought from the very commanding officers who wrote these reports in the first place. By noting these responses, it will be possible to collect and organize an extensive range of hitherto untouched evidence, and to verify the authenticity and veracity of this information and its origins. This, in turn, will enable a more appropriate selection, organization and analysis of this new material.

This research is an attempt by one who served at the time to conduct a thorough reappraisal of historical knowledge relating to the sea transport and logistical support of the Australian land based forces in Vietnam, immediately before and during the years 1965-1972. The dissertation will attempt to accurately record the story of sea transport and logistical support from a first-hand perspective and to dispel some of the myths that have been allowed to denigrate the service of some 13,000 former members of the RAN who participated in this vitally important task.

At this stage of my research I propose to organize the thesis as a chronological narrative and to establish an accurate record of each of the 25 voyages undertaken by HMAS Sydney in her sea transport and logistical support role. I have already completed a substantial part of this task which I see as an essential step in my research. At a later stage, and in consultation with my supervisors, I expect to reconsider and revise that structure and develop a stronger thematic focus in the thesis. I also intend, at this later stage, to elicit more first-hand reflections from officers and sailors who served in HMAS Sydney during the relevant deployments to develop a richer picture of the nature of sea transport and logistical support for Vietnam and the risks, dangers and problems involved.

With reference to the last paragraph, I am now eliciting the involvement of the members in providing material for inclusion in this thesis. Some of the material which I have recently received, tell it far better than what I ever could. As a former shipwright, I see the voyages to and from Vietnam on both HMAS Sydney and HMAS Yarra only from my perspective. There are many other experiences which you the members have had regarding life at sea during the period of the Vietnam War. Please take the time to write these down and send them to me either by email at John.Carroll@arts.monash.edu.au or via the Association’s mail box, the details of which are enclosed in the Grey Funnel Line. Each submission used will be acknowledged in the proper academic fashion. However, no correspondence will be entered into.

Several members of the committee have read chapters from the draft and have given the author some positive feedback. A few members who have email access have responded positively to my call for assistance as noted above. To those few, I thank you for your time and effort. The members need to be aware that this thesis is not being carried out solely for personal satisfaction, but for the benefit of all of those that served in the RAN at the time, and were conveniently ignored for their dedication to the service.

Regards to you all
Dr. John R Carroll
Hon. Secretary
23rd August 2008