H.M.A.S. Melbourne & U.S.S. Frank E. EvansPrint Page

The plaque commemorates those who were killed, those who were injured and those who gave assistance in the collision between the H.M.A.S. Melbourne and the USS Frank E. Evans in 1969. 

The Melbourne–Evans collision was a collision between the light aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans of the United States Navy (USN). On 3 June 1969, the two ships were participating in SEATO exercise Sea Spirit in the South China Sea . At approximately 3:00 am, when ordered to a new escort station, Evans sailed under Melbourne‍ '​s bow, where she was cut in two. Seventy-four of Evans‍ '​ crew were killed.

A joint RAN–USN board of inquiry was held to establish the events of the collision and the responsibility of those involved. This inquiry, which was believed by the Australians to be biased against them, found that both ships were at fault for the collision. Four officers (the captains of Melbourne and Evans, plus the two junior officers in control of Evans at the time of the collision) were court-martialled based on the results of the inquiry; while the three USN officers were charged, the RAN officer was cleared of wrongdoing.

Location

Address:	Dial Street, Shropshire Naval Memorial Park, Ulverstone, 7315
State:	TAS
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -41.152307 Long: 146.169847 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Plaque
Monument Theme:	Disaster
Sub-Theme:	Maritime
Actual Event Start Date:	03-June-1969
Actual Event End Date:	03-June-1969
Designer:	Gary Smith (Ulverstone, TAS)

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:	Thursday 3rd June, 2021

Source: MA