When Canadians think about Canada’s military history there are many examples that come to mind: Vimy Ridge, Juno Beach, Afghanistan, and peacekeeping missions around the world.
But rarely, if at all, do people talk about the men and women who served during the Gulf War according to those who served. For some veterans like Sylvia Vickers, who served for 11 years as a naval combat information operator, they believe that The Gulf War is a “forgotten war.” But 25 years later it looks like things might change.
This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the Gulf War and events are taking place across the country to honour veterans and their families. After originally not having plans to commemorate the anniversary in 2015, Veterans Affairs Canada announced in August it would recognize the ending of the Gulf War.
Approximately 4,000 members of the Canadian Forces served overseas in the Persian Gulf between August 1990 and February 1991 to help liberate Kuwait from invading Iraq. It was the first time that Canada sent the military into a war since The Korean War. The navy deployed three ships: HMCS Terra Nova, HMCS Athabaskan, and HMCS Protecteur.
It’s an anniversary that veterans no longer have to celebrate themselves and feel neglected.
When Vickers first heard the announcement, she remembered the warm response the military received when they went overseas to the Persian Gulf. Where at times, she says they felt spoiled as famous news anchors and hockey stars would visit them. The announcement “made us feel the way felt when we were in the Gulf,” Vickers said.
Last year Canadian Gulf War veterans began celebrating the anniversary of the war amongst themselves. For Vickers and other veterans it’s been a different kind of battle just to get the recognition.
“As soon I complained a little bit to the media that they weren’t commemorating the Gulf War we got the same overwhelming warm response,the legion phone rang off the hook,” said Vickers.
But for Vickers, her overseas experience doesn’t always conjure warm memories. She says there were times on the Protecteur where “I remember praying that I would be brave when the time came” to protect the people around her as she monitored radar for enemy missiles.
Vickers remembers telling her worried family, “it’s OK, I’m happy that I’m doing this and don’t feel bad if I die,” she said. Vickers volunteered to work on the Protecteur when she was on the HMCS Nipigon because, as she jests, “my lucky horseshoe was being in danger.”
Stephane Tremblay served on the Athabaskan as an electrician and spent 24 years in the navy. He volunteered to join the ship from the HMCS Algonquin when there was a need for extra electricians.
On the Athabaskan he rarely paid attention to any news concerning the war and instead focused on his job. Tremblay stayed focused because he noticed that the people following regular news became stressed about the war. “The best thing was to just go on, and like your own ship just go with the flow,” he said.
For Tremblay, commemorations for any conflict need to be done sooner rather than later in order to recognize veterans before they pass away.
Harold Davis spent 31 years with the air force straight out of high school in 1978. He served on the Athabaskan and is now the president of the Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada advocacy group, which helps members with their medical conditions.
For Davis the anniversary is significant because “for 25 years nobody even remembered us,” he said after returning to Halifax Harbour after the war. But he does understand that “it took 50 years for the Korean veterans to get recognized. I think we’re doing pretty good at 25.”
Davis hopes that the anniversary can help create a better relationship with Veterans Affairs Canada. He hopes that it’s the beginning step to help meet the needs of Gulf War veterans, in particular medical treatment.
But like the anniversary it seems only time will tell.
Documentation – Gulf War Veterans – What ever hapened to story