Annual Copper 5 Honors Event

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The Tempe Chamber Military Affairs Committee (MAC) is proud to invite you to an annual event to honor the crew of the "Copper 5" featuring the Plough and Young Awards. Lunch is included.

In cooperation with the Arizona Air National Guard, the Tempe MAC has been holding this annual event to honor one outstanding officer and one outstanding enlisted member on duty with the 161st Air Refueling Wing to commemorate the Copper 5 crew. This award is called the Plough - Young Awards.

To learn more about this year's TSgt Donald Plough Award recipient Senior Airman Chaz Bruno, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about this year's Major Truman Young Award recipient Captain Jeremiah Deegan, CLICK HERE.

About the awards: On March 13, 1982 a KC-135 air fueling tanker, from the 161st Air Refueling Wing, Phoenix, call sign "Copper 5", collided with a small civilian aircraft and crashed near Luke AFB in Maricopa County, Arizona killing the tanker's 4-man aircrew. The aircrew was Lt Col James Nick Floor; Lt Col Theodore Lester Beam; Major Truman Young, Jr; and,TSgt Donald Plough. The pilot and passenger of the civilian plane, who were from California, also perished.

CLICK HERE to read the full history behind this event and the awards.