Canada. Canadian Armed Forces - Everyday heroes: inspirational stories from men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces

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Simon & Schuster Canada

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Copyright 2017 by Simon & Schuster Canada

This book was made possible through partnership with The Memory Project Speakers Bureau. Please visit www.thememoryproject.com for more information.

An excerpt of Private Michael Czubokas story was originally published in the 2008 edition of The Patrician magazine. It is reprinted here with permission.

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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Mitic, Jody, author

Everyday heroes : inspirational stories from men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces / Jody Mitic.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-1-5011-6807-9 (softcover).ISBN 978-1-5011-6808-6 (ebook)

1. CanadaArmed ForcesBiography. 2. Canada. Canadian Armed ForcesBiography. 3. VeteransCanadaBiography. 4. SoldiersCanadaBiography. 5. CanadaHistory, Military20th century. 6. CanadaHistory, Military21st century. I. Title.

U54.C2M58 2017355.0092'271C2017-902102-8

C2017-902103-6

ISBN 978-1-5011-6807-9

ISBN 978-1-5011-6808-6 (ebook)

To the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, past, present, and future, and the public that supports them

L ike many young Canadians, I dreamed of joining the military from an early age. As a young recruit, I quickly discovered that the Canadian Armed Forces are full of fierce fighters. The men and women in our ranks are some of the best trained military in the world, and they are also the most generous people I have ever met. I toured in Kosovo and Afghanistan, and Ive seen firsthand how wherever we go, our reputation of diplomacy and kindness follows. We bring a human touch to the conflict at hand. And thats often left unsaid.

Now, after two decades serving this country, my greatest mission is to encourage Canadians to get to know the men and women wearing the Canadian flag on their shoulders. This collection of inspiring stories is an invitation to do just that: to see beyond the uniform to the person. Whether its the young recruit eager to join a world war, the reservist called to respond to a disaster on our own shores, or the medic treating patients for Ebola in Sierra Leone, each one has dedicated him- or herself to protecting our Canadian values at home and abroad. In these pages, youll read about daring acts of bravery but also the everyday sacrifices and unsung heroism characteristic of the men and women who have answered the call to serve.

Jody Mitic

We were at 17,500 feet, on track and on time. It would take fifteen minutes to fly through the defenses of Hamburg. From my position I could see everything around me and all hell was breaking loose. There were many searchlights and anti-aircraft guns, and I could see puffs of black smoke all around, quite spectacular, but all was calm in our aircraft.

I joined the air force when I was twenty, to be a photographer. Id been working for the Whig-Standard in Kingston as a paper boy, and the circulation manager there was also a photographer. He taught me everything I knew, and when he joined the air force photography department, he said, We have a great photography department in Ottawa; why dont you join us?

When I reported, I was interviewed in Ottawa and was told I qualified for aircrew. I figured, why not take a chance? I didnt want to get seasick in the navy, and I didnt want to walk, which would have been the army, so I thought, well, flying might be better. It took two years training all over southern OntarioBelleville, Trenton, Fingal, and Londonand then I continued in Britain.

I ended up as a bomb aimer in the 419 Moose Squadron in 6 Group Bomber Command. We were in a Lancaster with a seven-man crew. Five of us were up fronta wireless operator, a navigator, a flight engineer, the pilot, and me. I sat beside the navigator. We were behind a curtain, so we couldnt see much of anything, but we were quite comfortablewarm reallyalthough crowded. I couldnt complain, though. The poor tail and mid-upper gunners were operating in minus-forty-degree temperatures. It wasnt nice back there!

On the morning of April 8, 1945, we were told we would be flying over Germany that night. The excitement started in the briefing room. It wasnt fear, just extreme tension. Groans, mutterings, and chatter started up. You paid attention to every word that was spoken, particularly those of us who were navigators and bomb aimers because there was a tremendous amount of memory work involvedthe tracks we were supposed to take, turning points, latitude and longitude, temperatures, wind and drift, plus much more. And, the target was Hamburg! That was a famous target, one of the heaviest in Europe.

I had a premonition before that particular trip. So much so that I went to see the padre. He asked if I wanted a prayer. No, I said. Its going to be an interesting evening, but its not going to be fatal. Thats what I felt. Excitement somehow, and that it was going to be different. I also told the crew and my friend Len.

Every time we went down the runway, the ground crew waved to us and gave us a thumbs-up. With an aircraft like that we had fourteen thousand pounds of dynamite and two thousand gallons of high-test gasoline, and if something went wrong, we were goners. That night, I was looking out the window and guess who I saw at the end of the runway? The padre! I wasnt a particularly religious person, but he was there, and I saw him giving me the thumbs-up.