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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Vaino Olavi Partanen

In memory of:

Chief Petty Officer, 1st Class Vaino Olavi Partanen

October 23, 1969
At Sea

Military Service

Service Number:

8833H

Age:

41

Force:

Navy

Unit:

HMCS Kootenay

Citation(s):

Cross of Valour, Date of Instrument: July 20, 1972 "CWO Vaino Olavi Partanen was Chief engine room artificer aboard HMCS Kootenay. He remained at his post to inform the bridge when an explosion and fire devastated the engine room. HMCS Kootenay, one of seven "Restigouche"-class destroyer-escorts in the Canadian navy was conducting full-power trials on October 23, 1969, in the western approaches to the English Channel with eight other Canadian ships. At 8:21 in the morning there was an explosion in the engine room. Intense heat, flame and smoke engulfed the engine room almost immediately and spread to adjacent passageways and to the boiler room. There were immediate orders to clear the engine room but CWO Partanen, in full knowledge that he was in mortal danger, remained behind in order to report the situation by telephone to the officer of watch on the bridge. He died moments after attempting to make his effort." United Nations Service Medal for Korea, Korea Medal, Centennial Medal (1967)

Additional Information

Born:

May 27, 1928
Antrea, Finland

Enlistment:

February 4, 1950
Montreal, Quebec

Son of Ivar Partanen of LaSalle, Quebec. Husband of Ethel Anne Partanen and father of Lesley A. Partanen of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Commemorated on Page 144 of the In the Service of Canada (1947 - 2014) Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Surrey, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

Plot 4, Grave 224008, Row A

Location:

Brookwood is 30 miles from London (M3 to Bagshot and then A322). The main entrance to Brookwood Military Cemetery is on the A324 from the village of Pirbright. Brookwood Military Cemetery is owned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom, covering approximately 37 acres. In 1917, an area of land in Brookwood Cemetery (originally The London Necropolis) was set aside for the burial of men and women of the forces of the Commonwealth and Americans, who had died, many of battle wounds, in the London district. This site was further extended to accommodate the Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War, and American, Belgian, Czech, Dutch, French and Polish plots containing the graves of Allied casualties. There are also German and Italian plots where prisoners of war lie buried.

Digital Collection

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  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Grave Marker

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    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker
  • Stained Glass Window– Photo Credit: Marilyn Gurney This memorial stained glass window at St. Brendan's Chapel, CFB Halifax, Halifax, NS is dedicated to the nine men mentioned on the plaque who were killed in an explosion on board the H.M.C.S. Kootenay. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [stained glass window/vitrail] TO BE WORTHY OF THOSE WHO SERVED BEFORE US [plaque/plaque] HMCS KOOTENAY OCTOBER 23 1969 IN MEMORY [9 names are listed, but are not clear in the photo./9 noms sont inscrits, mais ils ne sont pas clairs sur la photo.] William Alfred Boudreau; Pierre Serge Bourret; Thomas Gordon Crabbe; Nelson Murray Galloway; Michael Alan Hardy; Eric George Harman; Gary Wayne Hutton; Vaino Olavi Partanen; Lewis John Stringer http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=6311

    Details

    Stained Glass Window
    Stained Glass Window – Photo Credit: Marilyn Gurney This memorial stained glass window at St. Brendan's Chapel, CFB Halifax, Halifax, NS is dedicated to the nine men mentioned on the plaque who were killed in an explosion on board the H.M.C.S. Kootenay. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [stained glass window/vitrail] TO BE WORTHY OF THOSE WHO SERVED BEFORE US [plaque/plaque] HMCS KOOTENAY OCTOBER 23 1969 IN MEMORY [9 names are listed, but are not clear in the photo./9 noms sont inscrits, mais ils ne sont pas clairs sur la photo.] William Alfred Boudreau; Pierre Serge Bourret; Thomas Gordon Crabbe; Nelson Murray Galloway; Michael Alan Hardy; Eric George Harman; Gary Wayne Hutton; Vaino Olavi Partanen; Lewis John Stringer http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=6311
  • Photo of Vaino Olavi Partanen

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    Photo of Vaino Olavi Partanen
    Photo of Vaino Olavi Partanen

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