Star of Courage

• Awarded on: March 16, 1981
• Invested on: June 19, 1981

Corporal David Albert Maloley, S.C.
Star of Courage

Search and Rescue Technician, Cpl. David Maloley, of the Canadian Forces, played a major role in the dramatic rescue of three crew members aboard the merchant vessel Bill Crosbie some 460 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland on January 7, 1980. The ship was listing badly in stormy seas. Twelve metre swells and a wind velocity of forty knots resulted in the violent swaying of the ship's superstructure where the three men had been stranded for four days. While he was being lowered from a helicopter onto the icy deck, gusting winds knocked Cpl. Maloley against the ship's radio antenna and he received a static shock. Nevertheless, he went down again and assisted two of the men into the rescue net. When they were safely aboard the helicopter, the net was lowered again; however the hoist cable became entangled on the deck. Cpl. Maloley then disconnected himself from the hoist, crawled over, cleared it, then helped the remaining crew member into the net and both were lifted to safety. During all that time, there was danger of the ship capsizing and sinking.