Errol McCormack

Errol John McCormack
Born	(1941-08-30)30 August 1941 Bundaberg, Queensland
Died	8 April 2024(2024-04-08) (aged 82) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Allegiance	Australia
Service / branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Years of service	1962–2001
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands	Chief of Air Force (1998–01) Deputy Chief of Air Force (1997–98) Integrated Air Defence System (1995–97) No. 82 Wing (1986–88) No. 1 Squadron (1977–79)
Battles / wars	Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Vietnam War
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia

Air Marshal Errol John McCormack, AO (30 August 1941 – 8 April 2024) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), who served as Chief of Air Force from May 1998 to June 2001.

Early life

McCormack was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, on 30 August 1941 to Horace McCormack and his wife Ida (née Wooldridge). He was educated at Bundaberg State High School.[1]

Service career

McCormack was commissioned in 1963 and served in Malaysia and Singapore during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation,[2] and subsequently took part in the Vietnam War.[3] He served as commanding officer of No. 1 Squadron RAAF in the 1980s.[2] He was made commanding officer of No. 82 Wing RAAF in 1987, Director General Force Development Air at Headquarters, Australian Defence Force in Canberra in 1989 and Air Attaché in Washington D. C. in 1993.[4] In 1995 he became Commander for the Integrated Air Defence System at Butterworth in Malaysia.[4]

He was appointed Deputy Chief of Air Force in 1997 and Chief of Air Force in May 1998 before he retired in 2001.[5] In retirement he became Chairman of Chemring Australia Pty Ltd.[4]

He became an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1998.[6]

McCormack died in Canberra on 8 April 2024.[7]

Honours and awards

	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	1998[8]
	Member of the Order of Australia (AM)	1993[9]
	General Service Medal
	Vietnam Medal
	Australian Service Medal 1945-1975
	Centenary Medal	2001[10]
	Defence Force Service Medal with 4 clasps	for 35–39 years of service
	National Medal	for 15 years of service[11]
	Australian Defence Medal	2006
	Vietnam Campaign Medal (South Vietnam)
	Pingat Jasa Malaysia (Malaysia)	2004

References

1. "Air Marshal Errol John McCormack". Who's Who in Australia Online. ConnectWeb. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
2. Australian Department of Defense – Senior Military Appointments
3. scheme=AGLSTERMS. AglsAgent; corporateName=Department of Veterans' Affairs; address=Gnabra Building, 21 Genge Street. "DVA's Nominal Rolls". nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au.
4. Australian Industry & Defence Network Archived 3 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
5. Air Force News – Air Marshal Errol J. McCormack – RAAF Service 1962–2001
6. Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), 8 June 1998, It's an honour
7. "Errol John MCCORMACK". Canberra Times Tributes. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
8. It's an Honour – Officer of the Order of Australia – 8 June 1998
9. It's an Honour – Member of the Order of Australia – 26 January 1993
10. It's an Honour – Centenary Medal – 1 January 2001
11. It's an Honour – National Medal – 15 November 1977

Military offices
Preceded by Air Marshal Les Fisher	Chief of Air Force 1998–2001	Succeeded by Air Marshal Angus Houston
Preceded by Air Vice Marshal Robert Richardson	Deputy Chief of Air Force 1997–1998	Succeeded by Air Vice Marshal Brent Espeland