The new ship has been officially named Canberra.
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The new ship has been officially named Canberra.
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FILE - In this July 21, 1997 file photo, the Blue Angels fly in formation over the USS Constitution as she free sails off the coast of Marblehead, Mass., in celebration of her 200th birthday. The frigate, nicknamed "Old Ironsides," had not sailed on her own for more than 116 years. On Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012, the ship is scheduled to again raise sails on a cruise to mark the day two centuries ago when the Constitution bested the British frigate HMS Guerriere in a fierce battle during War of 1812. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
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Bob York, son of Navy veteran Bob York, who died in February at age 91, displays a naval dispatch announcing V-J Day, the end of the war with Japan, at Col. Kirk's Auction Gallery in Millville, Pa., Aug. 6, 2012. York is auctioning the rare cable on Aug. 15, the 67th anniversary of V-J Day. (AP Photo/Michael Rubinkam)
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FILE - This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the HMS Bounty, a 180-foot sailboat, submerged in the Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Sandy approximately 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C., Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. Surviving crew members will testify as a federal safety panel meets Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 in Portsmouth, Va. to examine what led to the sinking of the replica 18th-century sailing ship during Hurricane Sandy. One member of the HMS Bounty's crew died and the captain was never found after the ship sank 90 miles off Cape Hatteras, N.C., during the October storm. (AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard, Petty Officer 2nd Class Tim Kuklewski, File)
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Hearing of terrible conditions, Jon Hair wishes his wife Julie a "Happy Valentines' Day," as he waits for the crippled Carnival cruise ship she is vacationing on to come ashore. (Feb. 14)
HMAS Yarra crew to receive unit citation
Crew members of HMAS Yarra, lost in a one-sided battle with Japanese warships, will be awarded the Unit Citation for Gallantry to right a wrong dating back to World War II.
The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal says recommendations for recognition of extraordinary gallantry were mishandled in the Yarra case.
In light of the extraordinary gallantry, resolve and audacity of Yarra's ship's company in February and March 1942, the long-standing injustice would be remedied, the tribunal said.
The case was considered in an inquiry into retrospective awards of the Victoria Cross for 13 servicemen, including Yarra's Lieutenant Commander Robert Rankin and crewman Leading Seaman Ronald Taylor.
Both died in Yarra's final action.
Rankin, who has a Collins submarine named in his honour, was clearly gallant although not to the stringent criteria of the VC for Australia, the tribunal said. In Taylor's case there was insufficient evidence for an individual award.
But all the crew receive the unit citation for two actions aboard the 1500-tonne sloop in South-East Asia at the outbreak of WWII with Japan.
As Japanese aircraft attacked Singapore on February 5, Yarra, then commanded by Wilfred Harrington, went alongside the burning troop transport Empress of Asia, rescuing more than 1800 soldiers.
On March 4, Yarra was escorting a convoy of merchant ships to Australia when three Japanese heavy cruisers and two destroyers approached.
Cmdr Rankin ordered the convoy to scatter while the sloop held off the Japanese warships. The Yarra was struck repeatedly by enemy shells but the 151-strong crew fought on.
Of the 13 survivors, none are alive.
Four Australian ships have been named Yarra - the latest is one of the navy's Huon class minehunters.
Tags:
victoria cross, royal australian navy, culture_politics, singapore, world war ii, ship, outbreak, inquiry, company, burning, recognition, crew members, south-east asia, united states navy, wwii, audacity, crewman, lieutenant, vc, cruiser, convoy, insufficient evidence, servicemen, warship, frigate, collins submarine, merchant ships, awards appeals tribunal, yarra, defence honours, hmas yarra, unit citation, hmas yarra crew, yarra case.in light, extraordinary gallantry, japanese warships, commander robert rankin, destroyers approached.cmdr rankin, seaman ronald taylor.both, world war ii.the, huon class minehunters, japan.as japanese aircraft, troop transport empress, japanese heavy cruisers, alive.four australian ships, one-sided battle, long-standing injustice, stringent criteria, 1500-tonne sloop, wilfred harrington, retrospective awards, 151-strong crew, enemy shells, hmas waterhen
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