Serving our Country all Worthwhile

I joined the Navy and I was a little underage and I am glad I did it and it opened up my mind more than just a war. I am from a minority group and I learned that I can live in this world very well and fit in very well with everybody and that means a lot to me. I feel maybe a little different than anyone else because my feet have not been on French soil and I want to see what we did to make that part of France what it is today, how we helped. That’s how I feel. I want to talk to people on the street. It would be nice for them to say thank you for helping. And it would make my time even more worthwhile.

Mr. Polowin reflects on his service and shares the pride he has for his contribution to the war effort.

Alexander Polowin

Mr. Alexander Polowin was born in Lithuania in 1925. Growing up, his family endured many hardships and because of this Mr. Polowin’s father left for Canada in hopes of bringing new opportunities to their family. Life as a child for Mr. Polowin was focused and at age 8 he found himself selling product door to door in hopes of helping his family financially. At age 17 he joined the Navy, a service he knew nothing about but fondly looks back on as a very positive part of his life. Mr. Polowin fought during D-Day and the Battle of Normandy onboard the HMCS Huron. Never stepping foot on French soil, Mr. Polowin returned to France in June 2014 to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. He resides in Ottawa and shares his wartime experiences with youth accepting many invitations to speak at schools.