Chargé d’Affaires Michael Goldman visited the Peak View Memorial site on January 23 to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the death of three American crew members of a firefighting air-tanker C-130, call sign Bomber-134. Captain Ian McBeth, First Officer Paul Hudson, and Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr. lost their lives on January 23, 2020, when the aircraft they were flying crashed while fighting fires near Cooma, New South Wales.
About 200 local firefighters, emergency services personnel, United States and Australian dignitaries and community members attended the ceremony, which was hosted by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service. Opening remarks were given by U.S. Mission Australia Air Attaché Lt Col Drew Cunnar, as well as remarks by Shane Fitzsimmons, Head of Resilience NSW, and Deputy Premier of New South Wales John Barilaro.
Chargé d’Affaires Goldman laid a wreath at the memorial site in remembrance of the three Americans and all those who lost their lives during last year’s devastating bushfires.