HMAS Bataan, 1952: An Australian warship in the Korean War

Description

In June 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea and the Korean War began. During the three-year conflict, HMAS Bataan, a Royal Australian Navy Tribal-Class destroyer, was deployed on two tours of duty. This is the story of her second tour in 1952. Bataan had a busy time in 1952, screening carriers, launching and recovering aircraft, rescuing ditched aircrew, patrolling the inshore channels and islands, policing fleets of Korean fishing junks in search of clandestine Communist minelayers and firing thousands of rounds of shells at enemy positions ashore. Based on first-hand accounts, and told through the perspectives of a 'lower deck' seaman and the ship's 'upper deck' commander, HMAS Bataan, 1952 details key episodes and events of the naval war in Korea.

Anthony Cooper teaches history at a Brisbane high school. He has a PhD in politics from Griffith University and has published articles in various military history specialised journals.