Meritorious Service Medal

• Awarded on: October 22, 2013
• Invested on: October 03, 2014

Co-recipients:
Lieutenant-Colonel Guy Joseph Christian Leblanc, M.S.M., C.D.
Warrant Officer Michael David Mar, M.S.M., C.D.
Corporal Clinton Jeffrey Lewis, M.S.M., C.D.

On March 27, 2012, despite gale-force winds, 400-foot altitude ceilings, snow squalls, and five- to eight-metre waves, the crew of Rescue 908 was involved in a perilous night mission to recover survivors from the S/V Tabasco II, foundering in the stormy North Atlantic, south of Nova Scotia. First Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Leblanc took charge of all flight functions, including aircraft navigation and survivor spotting, allowing his aircraft commander to concentrate on managing crew resources while flying in the abysmal conditions. Aircraft Commander Captain Pellerin placed the helicopter in a 70-foot hover in order for his crew to investigate the life raft, and subsequently moved the aircraft to the sail boat to affect the rescue. Flight Engineer Corporal Lewis, previously injured during hoist operations, identified an unconventional method to keep the helicopter in position over the vessel, which proved instrumental in the safe completion of the mission. As replacement flight engineer following Corporal Lewis’ injury, Warrant Officer Mar immediately stepped in to operate the safe hoist by placing the SAR technicians on board the raft and sailing vessel, and safely recovering five persons, all while battling gale-force winds. The crew of Rescue 908 demonstrated exemplary teamwork, bringing great honour to themselves and to the Canadian Armed Forces.