Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 27, 2001
• Invested on: December 06, 2001

Sergeant Barry Doyle, M.B., C.D.
Sergeant Éric Joseph Gérard Larouche, M.B., M.S.M., C.D.
Medal of Bravery

On the morning of August 7, 1999, Barry Doyle and Éric Larouche jumped from a Canadian Forces Hercules into the heavy North Atlantic seas to save the life of a severely burnt sailor onboard a container ship. When the Search and Rescue team reached the vessel, some 500 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland, the conditions were poor with low clouds, high winds and six-metre swells. Knowing that they could be lost at sea if they jumped too far from the vessel, Sgts Doyle and Larouche narrowly avoided the gyrating antennas and managed to drop into the lee of the boat. Wind was strong and Sgt Larouche's inflated parachute dragged him some distance before he managed to cut it away, unable to collapse it. With the large carrier moving dangerously closer, both rescuers were then picked up by a small lifeboat launched from the carrier and were able to carry out their mission of caring for the injured man.