Vincent R. Courtenay

Windsor, Ontario

A member of the Korea Veterans Association and The Royal Canadian Legion for many years, Mr. Courtenay has devoted a great part of his career and personal time to commemorating the courage and sacrifice of Canadians during the Korean War. He is presently the National Director of the Canadian Korean War Commemoration Committee (Ottawa and Seoul).

Over the years, Mr. Courtenay's talents combined with a personal interest in matters relating to Canada's contribution in the Korean War, have made him a powerful advocate for Korean War Veterans. Early in his career, he worked on the design of a monument that would recognize the contributions of Canadians to the Republic of Korea during the Korean War. His relentless efforts and determination culminated in the creation of the Monument to Canadian Fallen permanently located in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, Korea, and inspired Veterans across the country to come together to bring the echo copy of the Canadian Fallen in Korea to Canada.

Through his imagination, talent, enormous personal effort and selfless contribution, Vincent Courtenay has successfully completed one of the most significant commemorative projects in Canada in recent years. He has ensured that the memory of the sacrifice of those Canadian War Veterans in Korea who came home and those who, sadly, gave their lives will never be forgotten, bringing honour not only to his fellow Veterans, but also to the people of Canada and the Republic of Korea.