Bryan Keith Pierce

Last updated

Bryan Keith Pierce

CV MMM MSC CD
Allegiance Canada
Awards

Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Keith Pierce CV MMM MSC CD is a technician in the Canadian Armed Forces search-and-rescue. He received the Cross of Valour, the highest Canadian award for acts of courage in circumstances of extreme peril, on September 18, 1998, along with Sergeant Keith Paul Mitchell.

On November 12, 1996, Sergeant Mitchell and Master Corporal Pierce carried out an unprecedented parachute jump at night from a Hercules aircraft into freezing Arctic waters to provide medical aid to a critically ill fisherman on board a Danish fishing trawler located near Resolution Island, Northwest Territories. [1]

With inadequate flare illumination, Sergeant Mitchell and Master Corporal Pierce parachuted towards where a Zodiac boat was supposed to have been launched to pull them from the sea. Extremely strong winds carried the two men away from the vessel and landed them in freezing three-metre waves. Because of the heavy seas and severe icing conditions, they were unable to swim to the trawler. About 15 minutes later, with the men close to hypothermia, the ice-encrusted Zodiac finally reached them. They made it to the trawler, where they immediately treated the ill sailor and saved his life. [2]

On January 3, 2007, parachute rescue team leader Warrant Officer Pierce and team member Sergeant Harrison performed a perilous procedure in a parachute jump to help a critically injured aircraft passenger, at Blatchford Lake, in the Northwest Territories. In the face of severe weather conditions, both performed a low-altitude jump, where the slightest error could have had catastrophic results for the team. The extraordinary level of professionalism demonstrated by Warrant Officer Pierce and Sergeant Harrison under these difficult circumstances brings great honour to the Canadian Forces and to Canada. For these actions, then-Warrant Officer Pierce and Sergeant Harrison were awarded the Meritorious Service Cross (Military Division). [3]

In 2010, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Military Merit (MMM). [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-commissioned officer</span> Type of military officer

A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who does not hold a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. In contrast, commissioned officers usually enter directly from a military academy, officer training corps (OTC) or reserve officer training corps (ROTC), or officer candidate school (OCS) or officer training school (OTS), after receiving a post-secondary degree.

Sergeant Keith Paul Mitchell, CV, MMM, MSM, CD, a Search and Rescue technician with 413 Search and Rescue Squadron in the Canadian Forces, received the Cross of Valour, the highest Canadian award for acts of courage in circumstances of extreme peril, on September 18, 1998, along with Master Corporal Bryan Keith Pierce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star of Military Valour</span> Award

The Star of Military Valour is a military decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award for military valour, and one of three honours for military valour awarded by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council. Created in 1993, the medal is presented to both living and deceased members of the Canadian Forces deemed to have demonstrated "distinguished and valiant service in the presence of the enemy," and grants recipients the ability to use the post-nominal letters SMV.

The term used in the Royal Air Force (RAF) to refer to all ranks below commissioned officer level is other ranks (ORs). It includes warrant officers (WOs), non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and airmen.

Canadian Forces Fire and Emergency Services provide fire and emergency services to Canadian Forces land bases in Canada where local services are not available or sufficient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross of Valour (Canada)</span> Courage award in Canada

The Cross of Valour is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second-highest award, the highest honour available for Canadian civilians, and the highest of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations. Created in 1972, it is presented to individuals, both Canadian and foreign, living and deceased, who have performed acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril. Recipients are allowed to use the post-nominal letters CV.

<i>Ordeal in the Arctic</i> 1993 television film

Ordeal in the Arctic is a television film written by Paul F. Edwards and directed by Mark Sobel. The film stars Richard Chamberlain, Catherine Mary Stewart, Melanie Mayron, Scott Hylands and Page Fletcher.

Victoria Cross Heroes is a three-part television UK docudrama recipients first broadcast by Channel 5 in 2006 that tells the stories of some of the recipients of the Victoria Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2019. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2018. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2017. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2016. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2015. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2014. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2013. Usually, they are announced as a part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for the monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch. This custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2011. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Canadian honours</span> Canadian awards

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2009. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2008. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during the year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Canadian honours</span>

The following are the appointments to various Canadian Honours of 2010. Usually, they are announced as part of the New Year and Canada Day celebrations and are published within the Canada Gazette during year. This follows the custom set out within the United Kingdom which publishes its appoints of various British Honours for New Year's and for monarch's official birthday. However, instead of the midyear appointments announced on Victoria Day, the official birthday of the Canadian Monarch, this custom has been transferred with the celebration of Canadian Confederation and the creation of the Order of Canada.

References

  1. ↑ Bravery Citation
  2. ↑ "Search-and-rescue technicians receive Cross of Valour". National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  3. ↑ "MILITARY VALOUR DECORATIONS". Canada Gazette. 144 (13). March 27, 2010.
  4. ↑ McCreery, Christopher (2012). The Order of Military Merit. Ottawa: Dept. of National Defence. pp. 185, 307. ISBN   978-1-100-54293-5.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.