Port Hardy, British Columbia
Chief Warrant Officer King is a retired Canadian Forces Veteran. Together with the following three other dedicated individuals, Major Russ Hellberg, Mr. Robert Hemphill, and Captain Lou Lepine — all of whom are receiving the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation today, Mr. King has dedicated himself to honouring servicemen who have lost their lives on operations on North Vancouver Island by erecting and dedicating stainless steel cairns etched with the names of lost airmen at the various crash sites. Mr. King was the inspiration behind all settings of the memorial plaques. His expertise in protocol was essential in the organization of the memorial ceremonies in which Lieutenant Governors of British Columbia, senior Air Force officers, senior officers of the United States Navy and local First Nations Bands participated. Relatives have travelled from as far away as the United Kingdom for these dedication ceremonies. There have been five dedication ceremonies to date and a sixth will take place in 2010 for a plane that crashed on Northern Vancouver Island in 1945.