Indian Naval Expansion Maritime - Navy League of Australia

The Thai I .ST SURIN airiving in Dili
(RAN)
On 30th September she loaded 30 vehicles. 10 pallets
of defence stores and equipment from 7 Signals Regiment
and I Joint Support Unit. Eleven personnel from the two
Australian Army units also embarked.
Finally, in the early evening EXCELLENCE cast off
and proceeded at a lonely nine knots for Dili. After
disembarking her cargo and passengers, the LST returned
to Darwin where she was joined on 6th October by her
sister LST. RSS INTREPID. Over the weekend of 8th to
iOth October the two Singaporean ships worked in tandem
with TOBRUK to deploy to Dili personnel and armoured
vehicles from the Royal Australian Regiment's 5/7
Battalion.
EXCELLENCE and INTREPID were acquired from
the United States by Singapore in 1976 and have prov ided
sterling service to that country for many years. Both ships
are familiar visitors to Australian ports.
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They have a complement of 72 officers and men and a
range of 19.000 nm at 9 knots. Their lift capability is 1500
tonnes and they can also carry 125 troops in a long haul
mode; more for short passages. Both ships were
extensively modified in 1977 and can operate as Command
platforms. EXCELLENCE also has a helicopter pad.
The RAN and Singaporean navies have enjoyed
exercising together for many years. This mutual experience
has translated well into the operational sphere and augurs
well for their continued relationship.
Contributions by l.CDR AndreM Stackpool. RANR. DPAO: CMDR
Rex Edwards. RNZN. Nea Zealand Hi ah Commission: Capitaine de
Vaisseau Patrick Stervinou. French Defence Attache: Major Rick Umg.
USMC. CINPACFLT PA Representative. Dansin; Colonel Chang. RSS.
Singaporean Defence Attache: LEUT Emma Williams. RAN: LCDR John
PrUchard. RAN: LCDR Peter Arnold. RAN.
The Canadian replenishment ship HMCS PROTECTEUR. (RAN)
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The Doolittle Rai
Col James Doolittle's B-25B taking to the air for an historic feat of naval warfare. (National Air & Space Museum. Smithsonian Institution)
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
Japanese sea. land and air forces quickly over-ran much of
South-East Asia and the Pacific. In less than six months.
Japanese forces were along the borders with India and
occupying northern New Guinea where they threatened to
push further south to Australia. The Japanese military
appeared unstoppable as the bastion of Singapore fell and
American forces in the Philippines were forced back to the
island of Corregidor. Under this onslaught, no worthwhile
plans had been formulated by the Allies to stop the
advancing Japanese.
In early 1942 a fast carrier strike force consisting of
USS ENTERPRISE and YORKTOWN - two thirds of the
American carrier strength in the Pacific, carried out raids
on the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. The raids though were
of little more than nuisance value to the Japanese and more
importantly, they endangered the irreplaceable American
carriers for no obvious gains to the strategic situation in
the Pacific. Morale since Pearl Harbor was low and it
was apparent that something had to be done quickly
before the enemy could consolidate and strengthen its
new gains.
The idea which Captain Francis S. Low U.S.N, came
up with was a crazy one but in its favour it had the element
of surprise - for what better way to strike back at the
enemy than bomb the islands of Japan! And Low. who was
an officer on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, had
done his homework. He knew that the attack would have to
be mounted from aircraft carriers and that these carriers
would have to launch their planes from a safe distance.
By Paul Morrison
Warships and Marine Corps Museum (International)
Naval aircraft with extra fuel tanks would have the range
but not the bomb load to do any damage. Perhaps Army
bombers could do the job. The idea was taken up with
interest in Washington D C.
Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle U.S.A.A.F. was
enthusiastic about the idea and volunteered to lead a
project to study its feasibility. Doolittle closely studied data
on the medium bombers that could be used for such a
mission - the DOUGLAS B-23 had a wingspan which was
too wide to be flown from a carrier, the MARTIN B-26
needed too much distance for takeoff, but the MITCHELL
B-25 with extra fuel tanks was a possibility.
On 2nd February 1942. off the east coast of the United
States two lightly loaded B-25s were successfully launched
from the aircraft-carrier HORNET. The aircraft had now
been decided on but the crews to carry out the secret
mission would have to be picked and trained. Colonel
Doolittle decided he would do this personally on an
individual basis in order to preserve secrecy, and also to
ensure that the best personnel were chosen for the difficult
and dangerous mission.
The personnel who volunteered were selected from the
34th. 37th and 39th Squadrons of 17th Bombardment
Group and also the 89th Reconnaissance Squadron. At all
times they were told only that they had volunteered for a
"dangerous mission". Intense training was carried out in
short take-offs and other procedures including day and
night navigation, bombing and formation flying. When the
training was completed and the final crews picked, the
bombers were flown to the West Coast.
VOL. 62 NO
I
THE NAVY
VOL. 62 NO. I