National Day of Honour: Veteran reflects on service in Afghanistan
Photograph by: Greg Southam, Edmonton Journal
Name: Barb Pelletier
Rank: Sergeant
Hometown: Trenton, Ont.
Afghanistan dates: December 2008 – May 2009; March 2011 – August 2011
—–
EDMONTON – An avionics technician with 12 years in the Canadian military learned some valuable lessons during her two tours in Afghanistan.
“Canada is a very great country to live for, to live in, and to fight for,” said Sgt. Barb Pelletier, 43.
Since completing her military schooling in Kingston and Borden, Ont., Pelletier has been posted to Canadian Forces Base Greenwood in Nova Scotia, in Borden with 400 Squadron, and at one time worked on Blackhawk helicopters for the U.S. National Guard.
She is now with Edmonton’s 408 Squadron, where she has been since 2012…/more
♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠
408 Squadron’s Last Casualties of WW2 and The Final Flight of EQ-U Lancaster Mk X KB993
18 May 1945
WO2 Cameron (right) and his crew in front of a Halifax VII.
The war in Europe had ended 10 days before and life at 408 Squadron was good. With only 4 weeks remaining until the Squadron redeployed to Canada, the wartime alert levels had been stood down and daily operations took on a training and maintenance role. While the air war against Germany was over, 408 Squadron was one of eight squadrons selected for redeployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations…/more
♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠
McGOWAN, Stewart (Stu) Edwin OStJ, CD BGen Retired
With great sadness the McGowan family announces the unexpected death of Stu while in Lima, Peru. Paddy and Stu were on a glorious cruise through the Panama Canal. His last days were spent enjoying the seas in a magnificent ship, lying in the sun on the pool deck with a rum and coke in hand. Stu was born in the Town of Mount Royal, Quebec, the son of Muriel (Muffet) Stewart and Edwin Archibald (Mac) McGowan. He graduated from Victoria High School in 1955 and Royal Military College in 1960…/more
