▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁She ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁and ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁R AN ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁W oll ong ong ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁five ▁ships ▁used ▁to ▁port ray ▁H MA S ▁Def iance ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁season ▁of ▁Pat rol ▁Bo at . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁W oll ong ong ▁ground ed ▁on ▁rocks ▁at ▁Gab o ▁Island , ▁causing ▁extensive ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁vessel . ▁Att empt s ▁to ▁ref loat ▁the ▁pat rol ▁boat ▁were ▁made ▁at ▁high ▁t ide ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁May , ▁but ▁an ▁oil ▁rig ▁tender ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁to w ▁W oll ong ong ▁off ▁the ▁rocks , ▁as ▁the ▁pat rol ▁boat ' s ▁prop ellers ▁and ▁sh aft s ▁were ▁p inned . ▁Running ▁rep airs , ▁efforts ▁to ▁light en ▁the ▁ship ▁by ▁removing ▁loose ▁equipment , ▁and ▁the ▁assistance ▁of ▁salv age ▁cre ws ▁with ▁fl ot ation ▁b ags ▁allowed ▁the ▁ship ▁to ▁be ▁recovered ▁at ▁the ▁evening ▁high ▁t ide ▁of ▁ 3 ▁June . ▁After ▁being ▁to wed ▁to ▁E den ▁for ▁rep airs , ▁W oll ong ong ▁was ▁then ▁to wed ▁to ▁C air ns ▁for ▁re building ▁by ▁N Q E A , ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁service ▁in ▁mid - to