Family, friends and veterans gathered Sunday to pay their respects and remember the lives of Albertans who have died while fighting peacekeeping missions and support operations around the world.
A couple hundred people attended a special ceremony at Peacekeeper Park in the southwest Calgary community of Garrison Green, where the names of the fallen were read aloud and wreaths were laid.
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Rick Wright is the president of the Calgary chapter of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping (CAVUNP).
He says that National Peacekeepers Day is recognized on the Sunday closest to August 9 each year. On that day in 1974 he commemorates the loss of nine Canadian peacekeepers who died when their Buffalo plane was shot down by Syrian missiles during a mission in the Middle East.
“I remember that day, I was in disbelief,” said Wright, who was serving as a peacekeeper in Egypt at the time.
“I was listening on the net while the plane was taking off for Damascus and I heard that it was shot down. I still get emotional just thinking about that day.”
‘SUCH AN AMAZING BOY’
Since 1948, more than 125,000 Canadian peacekeepers have participated in dozens of international efforts around the world.
Sadly, more than 130 Canadians have since been killed in peacekeeping operations.
The family of Cpl. Cole Bartsch of Whitecourt, Alta., was on hand Sunday to honor his son who died at the age of 23.
On July 4, 2007, while deployed to Afghanistan, Bartsch, five colleagues, and their Afghan interpreter were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) southwest of Kandahar.
“He was an amazing kid, he loved life, he loved family, camping, just everything, and he was a very good kid,” said Bartsch’s mother, Juanita.
“He paid the ultimate price and sometimes people don’t remember him long enough.”
The Town of Whitecourt recently opened a street earlier this year called Cpl. Bartsch Lane, which was considered one of the highest honors according to her sister, Tara.
“He was just the coolest guy without being cool,” Tara said.
“For us, it’s been 15 years, so there are programs like the Hope Program that have helped. It never gets better but it does get easier and the military is a family that is always there to support you.”
‘HE WAS A HERO’
Private Kevin Dallaire was described by many of his family and friends as ‘the silent Frenchman’ who kept to himself but always knew how to make others smile or laugh.
Dallaire died on August 3, 2006 while serving in the Pashmul region of Afghanistan.
“He was a hero,” said Kevin’s mother, Dianne Dallaire.
“He put himself in the line of fire so other Canadian troops could run to safety. He was shot while he was trying to get back to safety and then he was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.”
According to a Government of Canada report, Dallaire crossed an open field under enemy fire and ordered his platoon to press on until they reached their safe destination.
His actions reflected the highest standard of his regiment and the Canadian Forces Medal of Sacrifice.
Sergeant Jorge Miok. (Supplied)AN INSPIRATION TO OTHERS
Sergeant George Miok was a peacekeeper who served in both Bosnia and Afghanistan.
The Sherwood Park, Alta., resident was considered a Canadian hero after giving his life in combat, but it was his work as a teacher that inspired hundreds of young Albertans.
“He was a very happy young man and very popular with all of his students,” said George’s father, Eli.
Miok earned a degree in education from the University of Alberta and became a teacher after his first tour of Afghanistan.
He was a seventh grade teacher at St. Cecilia’s Junior High School in 2008 and was considering a full-time position after his second tour of duty in Afghanistan in September 2009.
Sadly, Miok was killed on December 30, 2009, at the age of 28, after the armored vehicle he was in collided with an IED near the city of Kandahar.
Cpl. Zachery McCormack, Sgt. Kirk Taylor, private. Garrett Chidley, as well as Calgary Herald reporter Michelle Lang, were also killed in the blast. Lang was the first Canadian journalist to die in Afghanistan.
“It’s already been 13 years,” Eli said.
“But even after all these years, his students remember George and some of them went into education to become teachers because of him.”