Squadron Leader Paul McCarthy Print Page

The plaque commemorates Squadron Leader Paul McCarthy of the Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F.) who was killed on operational service in Indonesia in April 2005. He was 30 years old.

The plaque is attached at the rear of the Medical Students monument.

Paul McCarthy studied medicine at the University of Queensland, initially supporting himself by working part-time as a wardsman before joining the Royal Australian Air Force in 1995 as an officer cadet medical undergraduate. He completed his medical residency and internship at Nambour General Hospital in 1997 before being posted to RAAF Bases Richmond, Point Cook, and Williamtown.

Paul was an avid surfer and kite-surfer, and had been a life-saver and member of an Australian championship-winning surf boat rowing team. In 2001 he was granted leave from the RAAF to compete with fellow doctor Patrick Weinrauch in a trans-Atlantic rowing race. The pair finished second, completing the 5,500-kilometre crossing in 45 days.

In 2002 and 2003 Paul completed deployments to Kyrgyzstan, East Timor, and Iraq. He was promoted to squadron leader in December 2003 and was posted to Health Services Flight at RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia, where he served as senior medical officer. Reportedly, it was the quality of the surf that drew him to the west.

On Boxing Day 2004 a massive earthquake and consequent tsunami killed over 230,000 people in 14 countries around the Indian Ocean. The Australian Defence Force relief effort, Operation Sumatra Assist, focused on the worst-affected area of Banda Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra, providing medical care, engineering support, airlift of supplies, and evacuation of patients and displaced persons.

Paul led a small aero-medical evacuation team that worked amid almost unimaginable destruction and chaos. His able leadership and care for his team, the sound advice he provided, and the compassion and sensitivity he displayed to the local people gave confidence to his commanders and ensured the success of the mission.

Only days after returning to Australia Paul pressed his commander to allow him to return to Indonesia to participate in Operation Sumatra Assist II, which began when another earthquake on 28 March 2005 devastated the island of Nias, off the west coast of Sumatra. On 2 April the Navy Sea King helicopter in which Paul was travelling crashed and caught fire, killing the four crew members along with five of the seven passengers on board. The five passengers killed were all Defence medical personnel who were travelling to a village to assist the injured.

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