an ▁Per imeter ▁earned ▁recognition ▁" not ▁only ▁for ▁the ▁RA AF ▁but ▁also ▁Australia ▁at ▁the ▁highest ▁political ▁levels ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ". ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁August , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Robert ▁M enz ies ▁presented ▁the ▁Gl ouc ester ▁Cup ▁to ▁No .   7 7 ▁Squadron ▁as ▁the ▁RA AF ' s ▁most ▁prof ic ient ▁unit ▁of ▁the ▁past ▁year . ▁General ▁Str atem ey er ▁arrived ▁at ▁I w ak uni ▁a ▁week ▁later ▁to ▁surprise ▁Sp ence ▁with ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it ▁for ▁" out standing ▁leadership ▁in ▁the ▁prepar ation ▁of ▁his ▁unit ▁for ▁combat ". ▁ ▁On ▁ 9 ▁September , ▁in ▁cloud y ▁conditions , ▁Sp ence ▁led ▁three ▁other ▁Must angs ▁in ▁a ▁low - level ▁nap alm ▁attack ▁on ▁An ' gang - ni . ▁He ▁attempted ▁to ▁pull ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁very ▁ste ep ▁d ive ▁but ▁crash ed ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁was ▁killed . ▁Whether ▁he ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁ground ▁fire ▁or ▁had ▁mis jud ged ▁his ▁attack ▁is ▁uncertain . ▁ ▁Sp ence ' s ▁wife ▁and ▁children ▁were ▁still ▁living ▁at ▁I w ak uni , ▁and ▁his ▁death ▁hast ened ▁the ▁departure ▁for ▁Australia ▁of ▁all ▁families ▁on ▁the ▁base . ▁He ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Squadron ▁Le ader ▁Dick ▁C ress well , ▁who ▁had ▁twice ▁commanded ▁No . ▁ 7 7 ▁Squadron ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁C ress well ▁commented ▁that ▁" th anks