LAC Edward Mullen Receives Gold Medal – 7 August 1961
Leading Aircraftsman Edward Mullen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Mullen of Tracadie Cross, PEI, is shown as he received his gold medal from HRH Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands.
Two PEI Airmen are Members of Crack AF Gunnery Team
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Leading Aircraftsman Ronald R Hughes, 24, of Charlottetown and Edward J Mullen, 25, of Tracadie Cross, PEI, members of the RCAF Air Division's victorious Guynemer Trophy air gunnery team were presented with medallions here, commemorating the fourth straight Canadian win of the Trophy.
The presentations were made by His Royal Highness, Prince Bernard of The Netherlands, in ceremonies marking the conclusion of the two week competition.
The PEI airmen were members of the 36 man RCAF air and ground team that swept to victory in NATO's annual European air-to-air gunnery championship, held for the first time this year at this Royal Netherlands Air Force base. In previous years the contest was held at a French Air Force base near Bordeaux.
Canada's Air Division squad won out over six other top ranking teams from the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Norward finishing with a comfortable margain over the second place Belgian team.
Scoring in the competition was by live air-to-air firing against towed targets over the North Sea range, and cy Cine gun camera "attacks" on other aircraft. Five young Sabre pilots flew the Canadian team to civtory, while a crack 31-man supporting gorundcrew element backed them up with smooth and efficient ground handling.
While the actual scoring was done by the pilots, Air Division officials stressed that the Canadian win was a team effort, and that without the spirit and efficiency shown by the members of the groundcrew component, the gleaming silver trophy would not have been taken by the Canadians.
LAC Hughes is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Hughes, 11 King Street, Charlottetown, while LAC Mullen is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Mullen of Tracadie Cross.
Updated: December 15, 2002