Endless wars, no support for veterans - a world of pain and suffering under leftist rule

My memories of service in the RCAF are painful

I served in the Royal Canadian Air Force for a decade, flying high performance aircraft (mostly the CF101 Voodoo in Air Defense Command). During my short period of service, literally dozens of my contemporaries were killed in aircraft accidents during so-called “training missions” which included low level bombing and low level navigation in the CF104 Starfighter and interception in the Voodoo. Under-resourced, the aircraft grew old and experienced many catastrophic failures.

Canada had 239 CF104’s which were the mainstay of our European operations from 1961 to 1986. Of that fleet, 110 aircraft were lost to accidents and 39 pilots lost their lives. Many were my classmates from high school and Royal Military College and many more were my friends.

I flew over 1,000 hours in the Voodoo. During that time I experienced ten engine failures but fortunately was able to land in each case, one landing with both engines out in zero-zero weather on the runway of CFB Bagotville which was closed owing to the WOXOF weather, but it was either attempt a landing or bail out. I chose the former and luckily landed safely.

Of the approximately 450 active pilots in the RCAF during my tenure, at least sixty-five lost their lives to accidents. Young men with young families, unable to obtain life insurance owing to the risks in flying, left wives and children often destitute without any support from the government or RCAF. Larry Schaufele and Doug Shaw went to high school with me in Metz, France. Both were killed. Ted Bade, Bob Gates, and Larry were classmates of mine at RMC, all killed. Brian Alston and Bob Cran, among my flying instructors, killed in accidents. Larry Kinch, Gerry Power, Les Cox, Dave Hickman and Jim Lauder were my friends, all lost. I could go on and on.

I wrote a short poem that captures the pain of my flying days from the perspective of the operations officer on a given day. I call it “All Weather Squadron”.

ALL WEATHER SQUADRON

Into the gloom I had sent them

Young men with a wink and a wave

The wings on their chest marks of courage

Their country to serve and to save

The night was a challenge for pilots

The weather socked in by a storm

For all-weather fighters, no issue

Blind flying was often the norm

The Voodoo’s roared down the tarmac

The burners streaked long trails of flame

Out of sight they were gone in a moment

Only night and the weather to tame

The hours passed by like a moment

No sign of the boys or their planes

Their radios eerily silent

Now no one remembers their names