Star of Courage

• Awarded on: April 5, 1976
• Invested on: June 28, 1976

Warrant Officer David Theodore Monteith, S.C., C.D.
Sergeant Dennis Michael Weber, S.C.
Star of Courage
Corporal Gerry Ramon Zylich, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On May 19, 1974 a Canadian Forces aircraft crashed and burst into flames in a wooded area at Swallow Lake airstrip, near Thunder Bay, Ontario. WO. David Monteith, Sgt. Dennis Weber and Cpl. Gerry Zylich, with complete disregard for their own safety, attempted to remove two colleagues who were trapped in the cockpit. Sgt. Weber and an officer who was also on board the craft, managed to escape through the passenger door and were joined shortly thereafter by WO. Monteith and Cpl. Zylich, who had witnessed the airplane plummet to the ground. While Cpl. Zylich sprayed the flames from ruptured fuel tanks, Sgt Weber and WO. Monteith climbed through a narrow door of the cockpit and attempted to free the unconscious victims from behind the instrument panel. Braving the intense heat and smoke, the men persisted with exceptional determination until forced to retreat, and moments later, an explosion blasted through the wreckage. The force ejected one man from the cockpit and the rescuers quickly extinguished flames on his suit, but sadly, the other officer perished in the fire.