People Thank Me!

I am in the Legion and I sell poppies for remembrance and I go to the ceremonies and, well it's a special day, isn't it? And people, people they're really good. It's changing. I have had many people come up and thank me, you know, and that sort of gets you here but it's good. As a matter of fact, at church this morning, the minister said to me, she knows that I am going on Tuesday. She said, next weekend is Canada Day weekend, would you come up and tell a bit about your trip. Yeah, pretty nice, pretty nice. And when I tell them at church, my one daughter-in-law got me a new windbreaker, black with Canada, I'm going to put that on. I'm going to put that on, go up in front of the congregation and say this is who I had the honour to represent!! Nice touch.

Mr. McLean expresses his pride for service and his willingness to let all Canadians know what was done for his country.

John “Jack” McLean

John (Jack) Caldwell McLean was born on June 1, 1925, in Port Elgin, Ontario. He moved to Hull, Quebec, with his family at age 12, and then eventually settled in Ottawa, Ontario. He enlisted at 55 Queen Street in Ottawa on September 15, 1943, and joined 415 (Swordfish) Squadron, Bomber Command, as an air gunner on an all-Canadian crew. Number 6 Group consisted of 14 squadrons on 7 airfields in Yorkshire, England. Mr. McLean ended the war as a flying officer (FO), after completing a tour of 32 trips. He was also a volunteer for “Tiger Force.” He enjoyed a successful career in the public service at the Department of Finance, the Treasury Board Secretariat, and Indian and Northern Affairs. He was married on May 15, 1948, and raised a family of five. Mr. McLean is a member of Branch 593 of the Royal Canadian Legion (Bells Corners), and is a member of the Air Force Association.