Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: August 13, 1984
• Invested on: September 27, 1985

Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Richard Raymond Cloutier, M.B., C.D.
Medal of Bravery

On 4-5 December 1983, C 2 Raymond Cloutier, faced the danger with fearlessness when H.M.C.S. Iroquois sailed to the rescue of twenty seamen stranded on the No. 5 Ho Ming, floundering off the coast of Newfoundland. The critical listing of the HO MING made it imperative to reach the men with utmost urgency. During the high-speed transit in stormy weather many of the guardrails on the quarterdeck of Iroquois had been washed away. Ignoring the perils, C 2 Cloutier installed temporary ones before he allowed any of the crew members on the quarterdeck. Then, in a desperate attempt to save the Ho Ming's crew, he quickly organized his men and implemented the preparations to launch a life raft. One raft, then another, were inflated on the narrow deck and set afloat but the huge waves and high winds caused the rafts to overturn and the rescue was postponed. The Ho Ming increased her list at dawn and the Master radioed his intention to abandon ship. While a Sea King helicopter was dispatched to the scene, C 2 Cloutier, under appalling conditions and at personal risk, indefatigably exercised firm control on the quarterdeck and coordinated the task of lowering and recovering two Zodiac rubber boats with four crew members on board. Nine survivors were rescued by the Zodiacs.