Ex Brim Frost ’89
July 4th, 2007 by Rob
It was fourteen years ago, Wednesday night. I remember Cpl McGinnis, Cpl Allen, MCpl Mackinnon, and WO Arsenault well. We must of spent eight hours lying around the nose dock at Edmonton waiting for the planes to take off that day….the usual routine. MBdr Smith and Cpl Wright were with me from E Battery Para.
I put MBdr Smith and Cpl Wright on the plane that day and was travelling on the plane right behind them. I was GPO in charge of the mounting, deployment and tasks for E Battery Para. Dave Chupick (BC E) wanted me to go in on the air landing so I could supervise the deployment of equipment before the jump later the next morning.
Smith wasn’t suppose to be on the flight. It was supposed to be MBdr Jeff Elliott but Smith was feeling too ill to jump so I told him to air land with me on the advance party and had Elliott jump-in instead. At the time it didn’t seem to make a big deal on which plane guys were to go. I guess this is the reason for cross loading chalks…at least one of us walked away that day.
It’s been fourteen years…but I remember it like yesterday.
Airborne!
Bud Walsh (Major, retired)
formerly Gun Position Officer, E Battery Para
Thales Systems Canada
49 Auriga Drive,
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K2E 8A1
www.thales-systems.ca
WO Arsenault was in supply ?? Thats where I remember him. Went for a remember when visit back to CFB Trenton last week 22 hanger while on vacation. Wish that i hadn’t. Just about everything i held dear has been changed. No more 22 hanger-remember those days when the guns would comw down to us and you guys would prep them for air drop. Must confess the E (She) battery guys knew their stuff reff rigging the guns. TAMS pers got a free ride on TALEX Ex when you guys came to town. Do you remember Gunner Damerin. Attached Posted to TAMS in ’82-87 ?? Trenton 22 hanger ?? All 4 now. Drinking too much beer to type ! Hope this gets to U though> Plus am having trouble connecting with other ABCDO Pers. My penmanship is better than my computer skills. Cheers Sir. Thanks.PS Web site address might be my blackberry address??
I was an Infantry soldier with 4/9 Inf., 6 th Inf. Div. at Ft. Wainwright during Operation Brim Frost in 1989.
I still remember clearly the tragedy that stuck that day. I do recognize the names although I never knew them. Were you with the Airborne Regt. from CFB Petawawa as well ?
Some of the surviving Canadian advance party members stayed with us in our billets following the crash and maybe we crossed paths once ? I am guessing that you were on the 3rd plane that was diverted to the airport in town ? I remember those that stayed with us as being some of the nicest and most professional soldiers I’ve ever met. They handled the situation extremely well. It was such a terrible loss and greatly impacted the excercise. All of our thoughts were with those lost throughout the exercise and well after.
I hope their families and those of you that survived are doing well today.
Hello! My name is Kelli Arsenault, I am the daughter of WO Keith Arsenault. I was 5 years old when he passed away. In year 2000 my brother, mother and I had the honor of cutting the ribbon to open the Field two Ambulance building in Petawawa that was named after my father. Those that survived I hope those men went on to love and cherish their families. I think about my father everyday. Take care