Editor's note: The above video is about Arizona firefighters who are helping fight the Australia wildfires.
A Buckeye man was among the three Americans who were killed in a plane crash in Australia on Wednesday.
First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson from Buckeye died when a C-130 Hercules aerial water tanker crashed while battling wildfires in the Snowy Monaro region of Australia's southern New South Wales state.
According to a press release from Coulson Aviation, Hudson graduated from the Naval Academy in 1999 and spent the next 20 years serving in the Marines.
He retired as a Lt. Colonel and received many decorations during his career.
Hudson also earned a Masters Degree in both Business Administration and Information Technology Management from the Naval Postgraduate School.
The other two Americans who were killed were identified as Captain Ian H. McBeth from Great Falls, Montana, and Flight Engineer Rick A. DeMorgan Jr. from Navarre, Florida.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the deaths and crash in comments to reporters as Australia attempts to deal with an unprecedented fire season that has left a large swath of destruction.
Coulson Aviation said the plane was loaded with retardant when it took off for a firebombing mission.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the three crew members onboard," the company said in a statement.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
Hudson's father-in-law told 12 News that Hudson had been in Australia since late November and was set to come home later this week, but he agreed to stay longer to help – because that's just the type of person he was.
Hudson had just built a new home in Buckeye with his wife, Noreen. His father-in-law said Noreen is on her way to Australia to bring her husband back home.
Gov. Doug Ducey ordered flags at state buildings to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Hudson.