(L) Sen. Baucus, (C) Mr Ellison, and (R) Rt Hon Mike Moore

During a recent trip to Montana, where he spoke at the Montana Economic Development Summit, New Zealand Ambassador Mike Moore presented an Erebus special service medal to City Commissioner Dan Ellison with Senator Max Baucus.

The prestigious award was for Mr Ellison’s distinguished service as a U.S. Navy rescue pilot.

The Erebus Medal, a New Zealand Special Award Medal, relates to Ellison’s Navy career when he participated in a recovery mission for the victims of a DC-10 aircraft crash in Antarctica in 1979.

The DC-10 was conducting a low-altitude sight-seeing flight when it hit a mountain at 270 knots, killing everyone on board.

Ellison brought out about 85 victims from a very remote mountain site and made the last flight into the crash site carrying a large wooden cross that was
left there as a memorial.

For more information about Mr Ellison’s remarkable feat click here.