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The medal recognises the extraordinary efforts of US citizens who assisted New Zealand in the body recovery, crash investigation and victim identification phases of Operation Overdue following our country's worst air disaster that claimed the lives of 257 people at Mount Erebus in 1979.
Mr Ferguson said the work was made all the more difficult by the extreme conditions of Antarctica.
"Many of the people involved in this operation were New Zealanders but there were also a substantial number of Americans, mainly United States Navy personnel who were stationed at McMurdo Station but also members of the National science Foundation and other civilians who assisted and provided resources.
"In doing so they upheld the finest traditions of friendship and cooperation between our two Antarctic bases and between New Zealand and the United States."
In presenting the medals, Mr Ferguson said they recognised the efforts undertaken by US citizens to assist New Zealand, and the respect that was shown to the victims who came from a number of nations.
US Navy Iroquois pilot Lieutenant Commander William (Woo) Ferrell (centre, red tie) holds his medal, surrounded by the New Zealand Ambassador Roy Ferguson (second from right), New Zealand Police Superintendent Sandra Manderson, Vice Chief of Defence Force Rear Admiral Jack Steer (at rear), family and friends. (Photo credit: Brandon Malone)
