US Marine Corps General delivers speech honouring ADF personnel
Channel: Royal Australian Navy
Date: 2018-02-02

Defence Force personnel have been awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation by the head of the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific, Lieutenant General David Berger. The ceremony took place on the Royal Australian Navy amphibious ship, HMAS Adelaide, at Fleet Base East in Sydney.

The ADF was called into action on 6 August 2017 when the US Marine MV-22 Osprey crashed into the Coral Sea near Rockhampton. The aircraft, carrying 26 American service members, crashed and sank, killing a pilot and two other US Marines. Over the following fortnight, the Australians worked with US Marines and the US Navy to locate the aircraft on the seabed and support the recovery operation.

A total of 14 dives were conducted on the Osprey by an Australian Navy Dive team in sometimes difficult conditions. The citation praises the Australians’ “unrelenting perseverance and unfailing devotion to duty.” 

The commendation was presented to members of Maritime Operations, Australian Clearance Diving Team One, Australian Mine Warfare Team Sixteen (HMAS Waterhen in Sydney), Navy Hydrographic Ship crew Blue embarked in HMAS Melville (HMAS Cairns) and to members of the Australian Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Task Group.