A Convoy Through the Pacman Route

Heroes Remember

A Convoy Through the Pacman Route

Transcript

Being that I was qualified as a driver, I was qualified bus driver so I had to bring fifty men from where we were at to their house down in Visoko. I don’t know where Visoko is but they all told me you have to wear your helmet and your bullet proof vest because they are shooting in the pacman. The pacman is a road, a Canadian made road that the engineers did while we were down there and, you know, they said there were snipers all over the place and it’s dangerous. So just before I even leave I am already worried where am I going, you know. I don’t know where I am going so I am insecure, okay I have to rely on somebody to phone me the way and I have to drive fifty people that are responsible, that I am responsible for on the bus. I mean there’s not many ways of getting out of a bus if you’re being shelled on or if you are being shot at. So I said, I prayed, I prayed all the way. When I got to Visoko everything went fine. A great relief but that was my welcome to Bosnia, the first day that I arrived I was right on the road, you know, there was no debriefing, you know, nothing I had no time for anything like that. And everybody in the bus they all had their bullet proof vests and their helmets and, you know, I said this is serious business here. And pacman was known at the beginning to have a lot of snipers. A lot of vehicles were shot at; some of our trucks were shot at. I had a sea container that was shot at while I was driving so it was terrifying. Terrifying because not only were you worried about these snipers but you were worried about the road that we were on was not wide enough for two vehicles to pass and the Croatians or the Serbs didn’t bother, they would pass beside you. It wasn’t too bad when you were in through the mountain but when you are out of the mountain and they are passing you, you’re on the ledge and you are very high so you don’t know if you are going to slip or anything like that so that’s another worry. To watching that, watching the person that’s driving plus worrying about the snipers, it gets you going.

Description

Mr. Villeneuve shares his encounters with snipers, dangerous roads and tension while holding responsibility for a fifty person convoy thru the mountains

George Villeneuve

George Villeneuve was born February 4, 1964 in Ottawa, Ontario. At 17 years of age, he made the choice to join the military and became a part of the Infantry 031, Royal 22e Regiment as part of a Recce Platoon 3rd Battalion. In 1985 he travelled to Cyprus as a driver for the Operational Service Officer. Following this tour, Mr. Villeneuve accepted tours to Bosnia and Golan Heights holding occupation as driver. After years of service, Mr. Villeneuve was medically discharged from the army with PTSD. He has accepted assistance for his condition and has welcomed Vardo - a service dog and true companion into his home. Mr. Villeneuve is enjoying life again and resides with his family in Ottawa.

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