Sergeant Joseph Carl Steeve Bédard, S.C.*, M.B., C.D.
Star of Courage
Master-Corporal Daniel Joseph Gilles Villeneuve, M.B., C.D.
Medal of Bravery
On March 30, 2005, search and rescue technicians Sgt Steeve Bédard and MCpl Daniel Villeneuve rescued five seal hunters stranded in their disabled fishing vessel in the ocean near les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec. After several failed attempts to reach the crewmen on the vessel's deck due to severe weather, the two men decided to conduct individual hoist operations from the water. Braving dangerously high seas, massive ice chunks thrown about by the 30-foot swells and winds in excess of 50 knots, Sgt Bédard was hoisted down to retrieve a first crewman who had unexpectedly jumped into the water. The crewman was floundering dangerously close to the heavy outriggers that threatened to crash onto him. Before the victim could swim to Sgt Bédard, who was being swamped by the waves, the boat crew managed to pull him on board. As night fell, Sgt Bédard and MCpl Villeneuve performed several more hoists from the deadly waters under extremely hazardous conditions and successfully recovered the helpless sealers.
* This is a second Decoration for Bravery awarded to Sgt Bédard
Star of Courage
Awarded on: 2013-10-30
Invested on: 2014-10-03
Master Corporal Shawn Gregory Bretschneider, S.C.
Sergeant Janick Joseph Benoit Gilbert, S.C., C.D. (posthumous)
Master Corporal Marco A. Journeyman, S.C., C.D.
Master Corporal Maxime Bernard Lahaye-Lemay, S.C.
Sergeant Daniel Villeneuve, S.C., M.B., C.D.
Star of Courage
On October 27, 2011, search and rescue (SAR) technicians Shawn Bretschneider, Janick Gilbert, Marco Journeyman, Maxime Lahaye-Lemay and Daniel Villeneuve braved severe weather conditions to rescue two hunters, stranded on the Arctic Ocean, near Igloolik, Nunavut. A team of three SAR techs parachuted down into seven-metre-high waves, but was soon separated in the huge swells. Five hours later, the second team of two SAR techs was lowered from a helicopter and, struggling in the same harsh conditions, succeeded in locating everyone and hoisting them into a helicopter. Sadly, Sergeant Gilbert did not survive.
*This is the second Decoration for Bravery awarded to Sergeant Villeneuve.