Folks, New Zealand just honored Jim with the New Zealand Service Medal along with 13 others for their work during the crash on Erebus. Go to Google- New Zealand Service Medal Erebus to see it and read about it. Yes, it was 30 yrs late. 13 were found and were there. Of course they were looking for Jim but they found Pat Goodrum standing there. Some remembered Pat and Paul since we were all living at Pt.Mugu with them. Pat was very very impressed with all of the ceremony and dinner. I just couldn't attend- short notice- and Paul couldn't get away but told Pat to go for it if he could. They had been trying to locate us for months and just found me last Sunday. I woke up to a call from the Embassy of New Zealand and called the boys to see if they wanted to attend but no pressure from me. Pat said when it came time to read off each on the men being awarded and the work they had done- Jim was twice as long... a lot that Pat didn't know about, like Jim was in the first helicopter to locate the crash and took the pictures etc. and of course bringing back the bodies to the base.Take care, Love, George-Anne
NEWS RELEASE
5 June 2009
United States Citizens Presented With New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus)
Family and friends watched as thirteen United States citizens were today presented the New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus) for their work in “Operation Overdue”, the body recovery, crash investigation and victim identification resulting from New Zealand’s worst air disaster.
New Zealand Ambassador Roy Ferguson and Vice Chief of Defence Force Rear Admiral Jack Steer presented the medals to the recipients who included US Navy personnel and transport accident investigators.
Commodore David Anson, head of New Zealand Defence Staff in Washington, made a moving closing address and noted that there were still US personnel yet to be located so they could be presented with the medal.
“Today we have formally acknowledged the personal courage and commitment to a ghastly task in the wake of a tragic accident. The job of locating all the recipients of this award is not yet complete, and we still have another twenty or so to find and formally recognise.”
Retired New Zealand Police Sergeant Mark Penn, the last searcher to leave Mount Erebus, spoke during the ceremony about the tragedy, the difficulty faced by all who were involved in Operation Overdue as they worked to the point of exhaustion, and the vital support from the Americans.
“From the very moment the US Navy launched its search, the American assistance to New Zealand in the recovery operation was unstinting, generous and extensive. For that we will always be grateful,” said Sergeant Penn.
A video message from Prime Minister John Key was played during the medal ceremony, honouring the US citizens involved in Operation Overdue.
5 June 2009
United States Citizens Presented With New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus)
Family and friends watched as thirteen United States citizens were today presented the New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus) for their work in “Operation Overdue”, the body recovery, crash investigation and victim identification resulting from New Zealand’s worst air disaster.
New Zealand Ambassador Roy Ferguson and Vice Chief of Defence Force Rear Admiral Jack Steer presented the medals to the recipients who included US Navy personnel and transport accident investigators.
Commodore David Anson, head of New Zealand Defence Staff in Washington, made a moving closing address and noted that there were still US personnel yet to be located so they could be presented with the medal.
“Today we have formally acknowledged the personal courage and commitment to a ghastly task in the wake of a tragic accident. The job of locating all the recipients of this award is not yet complete, and we still have another twenty or so to find and formally recognise.”
Retired New Zealand Police Sergeant Mark Penn, the last searcher to leave Mount Erebus, spoke during the ceremony about the tragedy, the difficulty faced by all who were involved in Operation Overdue as they worked to the point of exhaustion, and the vital support from the Americans.
“From the very moment the US Navy launched its search, the American assistance to New Zealand in the recovery operation was unstinting, generous and extensive. For that we will always be grateful,” said Sergeant Penn.
A video message from Prime Minister John Key was played during the medal ceremony, honouring the US citizens involved in Operation Overdue.
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