Canadian earns Russian medal for sea rescue in storm
Published: February 2, 2007
A Canadian who helped airlift a gravely ill Russian sailor from a navy ship bucking in an ocean tempest has received an unusual military honour from Russia.
Maj. Joe Goodyear, a helicopter flight engineer originally from Gander, N.L., received the Russian Medal for Strengthening of Brotherhood-in-Arms at a Thursday afternoon ceremony at the Russian Embassy in Ottawa, the city where he is now based.
Russian Ambassador Georgiy Mamedov presented the medal on behalf of the Russian minister of defence.
He praised Goodyear for helping save the Russian sailor’s life during the rescue off the west coast of Great Britain on Oct. 29, 2001, while Goodyear was on exchange with Britain’s Royal Navy.
“By doing so he contributed in a major way to bilateral understanding, co-operation and friendship that traditionally exists between our neighbouring people,” Mamedov said before pinning the medal with blue and purple ribbons to the navy blue jacket of Goodyear’s uniform.
Goodyear spoke modestly of his award and his efforts to get the sailor the urgent medical help he needed.
“It’s a bit of an honour, but … we were just doing our jobs, what we do every day out there,” he said in an interview the day before the ceremony. “And I think in some ways you get more recognition because it was an unusual incident. But it wasn’t overly difficult, although it was difficult.”
The other members of Goodyear’s rescue crew have already received the medal.
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