DSM's

[SARMAN]

Defence Forces News
AIR CORPS COMMISSIONING & PRESENTATION OF POSTHUMOUS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDALS
18 June 2008

The Minister for Defence, Mr. Willie O’Dea T.D., accompanied by the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Dermot Earley will attend the commissioning ceremony of 26th Air Corps Cadet Class at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co. Dublin on Thursday 19th June 2008 at 2.00 p.m. Minister O’Dea will also present Distinguished Service Medal’s (DSM’s) with honour posthumously to the crew of Dauphin 248.

The eight new pilots, seven of which have graduate qualifications already, have been in military and flight training since September 2005. In their flight training they have successfully completed 750 hours of ground school and 200 flying hours on the Pilatus PC-9M and Beechcraft Kingair 200 to qualify to very stringent military flying standards. In receiving this Presidential commission the new officers will take an oath of allegiance in which they will swear to be “faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution”.

Minister O’Dea will also present DSM’s (with Honour) posthumously to the crew of DH 248. The families of the crew will receive these posthumous awards “for displaying outstanding qualities of bravery, devotion to duty…while remaining on station over a stricken vessel…in hazardous conditions.” The helicopter crashed near Tramore, Co. Waterford in the early hours of 02 July 1999 while conducting a Search and Rescue mission off the Waterford coast with the loss of the four crew, the late Captain Dave O’Flaherty, Captain Michael Baker, Sergeant Paddy Mooney and Corporal Niall Byrne.

[Goldie fish]

Too Little too late. However still well deserved.

R.I.P

[Connaught Stranger]

The point is these men have been recognized for the unselfish service they gave their country,

In trying to rescue others in danger

May they Rest In Peace, their Sacrifice is NOT forgotten.

Connaught Stranger

[Truck Driver]

Too Little too late. However still well deserved.

R.I.P

Agreed. I'm shocked it has taken 9 years for their bravery to be recognised. RIP

[hptmurphy]

Political exercise.

Originally they were not deemed to qualify and by the time the second hearing of the case came around they were deemded to have exceed the statute of limitations.

They were well deserved but unfortunately the award itself has been diminished in that retiring COS are awarded it as a matter of course.

Acts of self sacrifice to the extreme that persons lose their own lives for others or risk their own lives should not be bracketted with some retire old duffer whi is getting a golden handshake. a pension, and a free introduction to the after dinner speaking circuit just cos he turned up and got promoted and did what the civil service told him.

So should this practise stop or should we cast a new award to recognise actual sacrifice or risk as opposed to those wounded by paper cuts?

The minister did apologise but too little too late.

[clean it again]

that pisses me off

I understand getting it for helping / dying

but to get it for services to the state no way
it the way of looking after the chosen few

[golden rivet]

when was the practise of giving a dsm to the cos introduced or was it there all the time..it would sound funny if every cos of the british army got the victoria cross..

[DeV]

A DF DSM is not the eqivalent of the British VC (the 1st class MMG would be)

[Hello Alaska]

Absolutely delighted to see Paddy Mooney and the other 3 lads finally got the recognition they deserved.

Should've been done a lot earlier but better late than never.

[FMolloy]

Can we keep it on topic? If it's not about these specific medals post it elsewhere.

[Connaught Stranger]

Can we keep it on topic? If it's not about these specific medals post it elsewhere.

Actually, I find it relevant to the topic, Irish Military Medal awards are so small in number of types it useful to know which, and to whom they were given, brings the long overdue awards to the airmen in to context of where they rated.

Connaught Stranger

[FMolloy]

Actually, I find it relevant to the topic, Irish Military Medal awards are so small in number of types it useful to know which, and to whom they were given, brings the long overdue awards to the airmen in to context of where they rated.

Connaught Stranger

Duly noted, points given for off-topic posting.

Don't say you weren't warned.

[Goldie fish]

I see a Memorium to Mick Baker in the Examiner Yesterday. RIP.

Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the recent commissioning ceremony at Casement Aerodrome and the presentation of medals to the families of the four Air Corps men who died in July 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25484/08]

Minister for Defence (Deputy Willie O’Dea): It is always a great honour for me to participate in the commissioning ceremony for new officers of our Defence Forces. This was particularly so on the 19th of June at Casement Aerodrome where two ceremonies were held, commencing with the Commissioning of the 26th Air Corps Cadet Class which was followed by the Presentation of the Distinguished Service Medal, with Honour, posthumously to the crew members of the Dauphin DH 248 who lost their lives on the night of 1st July 1999 while returning from a successful rescue mission.

Both ceremonies were attended by members of the immediate family and friends of the new officers and the medal recipients as well as a number of distinguished guests, including the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Dermot Earley, and the General Secretary of the Department of Defence, Michael Howard, along with public representatives and a wide cross-section of other interested parties.

In speaking at the commissioning ceremony I reflected on the special commitment that these eight new officers were making in choosing a career of service to their country that will call for courage, commitment and professionalism as their guiding light. I also recognised the proud record of service to the nation that has been given over the years by the Air Corps and its pilots. I outlined the ongoing investment programme in the Air Corps, both in aircraft and facilities, which ensures a bright future for the Air Corps. In the second ceremony on the day, we remembered the sacrifice of the four members of the Air Corps arising from the tragic accident that occurred in Tramore, Co. Waterford on 1 July 1999.

The four crew members who lost their lives that night were:Captain David O’FlahertyCaptain Michael BakerSergeant Patrick MooneyCorporal Niall Byrne.

Having considered the events of the night, a military board recommended to me that the Distinguished Service Medal, with Honour, be awarded posthumously to the four men. I had no hesitation in accepting the recommendation of the board. My only regret being the length of time that it had taken to reach this conclusion.

While I understood that coming to the ceremony in Casement Aerodrome evoked very sad memories for the members of the O’Flaherty, Baker, Mooney and Byrne families in attendance, and for all the members of their families and friends, who lost their loved one so suddenly in such a tragic accident, I expressed the hope that they might take some consolation from the honour that was being accorded to the memory of these four brave young men.I presented a Distinguished Service Medal, with Honour, to:Mr. Vincent and Mrs Anna Byrne parents of the late Corporal Byrne;Mrs Monica Mooney, widow of the late Sgt Mooney and Miss Davina O’Flatherty, daughter of the late Captain O’Flaherty. It is hoped that separate arrangements can be made in the near future to present the Distinguished Service Medal to the parents of the late Capt Baker.