▁restrict ▁Australia ' s ▁war ▁effort ▁to ▁South ▁Vietnam . ▁This ▁plan ▁was ▁announced ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Harold ▁Hol t ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁package ▁of ▁Australian ▁rein for c ements ▁to ▁the ▁war ▁effort ▁in ▁Vietnam . ▁In ▁the ▁event , ▁the ▁deployment ▁did ▁not ▁proceed ▁as ▁the ▁del ays ▁to ▁ 8 0 5 ▁Squadron ' s ▁initial ▁Sky h awk ▁conversion ▁course ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁pil ots ▁were ▁not ▁ready ▁until ▁after ▁Melbourne ▁re - enter ed ▁service . ▁The ▁Navy ▁ass essed ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁possible ▁to ▁both ▁man ▁a ▁f ighter ▁squad ron ▁on ▁the ▁car rier ▁and ▁post ▁pil ots ▁to ▁Vietnam , ▁and ▁delay ing ▁the ▁react iv ation ▁of ▁Mel b ourn es ▁air ▁group ▁could ▁lead ▁to ▁criticism ▁of ▁the ▁Sky h awk ▁ac quisition . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁the ▁Minister ▁for ▁Def ence ▁directed ▁that ▁no ▁further ▁consideration ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁given ▁to ▁sending ▁naval ▁f ighter ▁pil ots ▁to ▁Vietnam . ▁ ▁The ▁R AN ' s ▁jet ▁aircraft ▁oper ational ▁conversion ▁unit , ▁ 7 2 4 ▁Squadron , ▁was ▁also ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁Sky h aw ks ▁during ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁By ▁December ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁operating ▁a ▁mixed ▁fleet ▁of ▁T A - 4 G ▁Sky h aw ks , ▁de ▁Hav ill and ▁Sea ▁V amp ires ▁and ▁Sea ▁Ven oms ▁from ▁Al bat ross . ▁The ▁Sky