HMAS Arunta (I30)

HMAS "Arunta" (D130/I30) was a Tribal class destroyer, laid down by the Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Company Limited at Sydney in New South Wales on 15 November 1939, launched on 30 November 1940, and commissioned on 30 March 1942.

Operational history

HMAS "Arunta" commenced her operational career by conducting anti-submarine patrols off the Australian East Coast. In August 1942 she began escorting convoys between Australia and New Guinea. In this role she first saw action when she attacked and sank the Japanese "Kaichu" type submarine "RO-33" off Port Moresby on 24 August 1942. In January 1943 "Arunta" took part in the evacuation of Allied guerrillas from Timor before returning to convoy escort duty.

In May 1943 HMAS "Arunta" became part of Task Force 74, the composite Australian-American force operating with the United States Seventh Fleet. As part of this Task Force she supported the American landings on Kiriwina and Woodlark Islands. Following this duty "Arunta" served in escort and anti-submarine duties between mid July and October 1943 when she re-joined Task Force 74.

During Between November 1943 and September 1944 "Arunta" and the other ships of Task Force 74 supported a series of Allied landings in New Britain and along the north coast of New Guinea. On 13 October 1944 "Arunta" formed part of the Allied fleet bound for Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. On 25 October 1944 she saw action against Japanese warships during the Battle of Surigao Strait. From January to March 1945 "Arunta" supported the landings at Lingayen Gulf where she was damaged by a Japanese kamikaze aircraft.

Following a refit "Arunta" supported the Australian 6th Division's landing at Wewak in New Guinea on 10 May. During June and early July she took part in the Australian-led Borneo Campaign and supported the landings at Brunei Bay and Balikpapan. At the end of the war she was in refit in Sydney.

Following the war "Arunta" served as part of the Allied occupation forces in Japan in early 1946 and early 1947. "Arunta" received a major refit between 1950 and November 1952 which increased her anti-submarine capabilities. She conducted patrols off Korea between February and September 1954. After an additional two years of routine deployments to South East Asia "Arunta" paid off to reserve on 21 December 1956 after sailing 357,273 miles. She was sold for scrap to the China Steel Corporation of Taipei in Formosa on 1 November 1968, and sank under tow 65 miles off the New South Wales coast on 13 February 1969.

References

*Seapower Centre - Australia [http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Arunta_%28I%29 HMAS "Arunta" ship history]