A hike to remember

Members of the Air Combat Electronic Attack Systems Program Office (ACEASPO) have continued a longstanding tradition among the unit’s personnel, visiting the crash site of a 6 Squadron F-111C.

CAPTION: Members of Air Combat Electronic Attack Systems Program Office clean the memorial site for the lost aircrew of a downed F-111C during a team-building activity at Bundjalung National Park, Queensland. Story by Pilot Officer Timothy Sullivan. Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Campbell Latch.

Participating in a team building activity, the group hiked from their Woody Point campsite to the Falcon 32 memorial in order to clean and preserve the area and pay respects to the lost aircrew.

The 6 Squadron F-111C crashed into the Bundjalung National Park on September 29, 1977, after suffering catastrophic failure due to a major bird strike. The crash took the lives of both Squadron Leader John Holt and Flight Lieutenant Adam Noordink.

A memorial was built at the site by Defence Force members in the 2000s and has been preserved by aviators ever since, with ACEASPO members ensuring to visit once a year.

Flight Lieutenant Christopher Johnstone, of ACEASPO, spoke of the importance of the annual visit to the memorial site.

“Once we reached the site, we gathered around to look at the memorial stone and we discussed the history and importance of that site,” Flight Lieutenant Johnstone said.

“Every member of Defence is important, especially those that we lost in our service.”

ACEASPO is responsible for the sustainment and upgrade of 6 and 1 Squadron’s EA-18G Growler and F/A-18F Super hornet fleets.

The 6 Squadron F-111C aircraft was conducting a practise bombing mission at Evans Head Air Weapons Range when the incident occurred. The crash led to the fleet-wide introduction of laminated windshields to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

CAPTION: Members of Air Combat Electronic Attack Systems Program Office at Bundjalung National Park, Queensland.

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