Royal Canadian Navy : Brian Lapierre

1031 PHOTOS IN THIS SECTION BY BRIAN LAPIERRE

From Chauvin, Alberta, Brian Lapierre joined the RCN in September, 1966. He was in Terra Nova 2/66 Division in Cornwallis, and he remained in Cornwallis for a couple of months after Basic Training to play hockey with the Cornwallis Cougars. He trained as an electrician, and served on HMCS Bonaventure, Onondaga, Okanagan, Nipigon, Margaree, Iroquois, and Athabaskan. He retired in December, 1988 with the rank of Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class, and immediately started work as a civilian on the navy's new Frigate programme. Please see Brian's well-written account of his naval career (first item below). Section revised June 22, 2023.

Brian Lapierre's Naval Career and Beyond. This document chronicles Brian's career from playing hockey at HMCS Cornwallis, his work on submarines and in the "General Service", to his work post-RCN. Surnames mentioned: Hillier, Molloy, Newman, Pollard, Renner, Rockley, Smith, Turtle, Yeo. Includes four photos. HMCS Cornwallis, 1966/67. Nine photos of basic training with Terra Nova 2/66. Group photo and photos of various men & places. Everyone is identified in the group photo. Surnames in individual photos: Cherneski, Dunn, Fleet, Gainer, Lapierre, Mollison, Rousson, Serafini, Wells, Workman. Revised June 22, 2023. HMCS Cornwallis, Exped Training, 1967. Jan., 1967. Nine photos: Terra Nova 2/66 Division Exped training at Cornwallis. Surnames: Hamilton, Higdon, Houghton, Martin, Mollison, Pindera, Radmore, Rousson, Schmidt. Hockey at HMCS Cornwallis. March, 1967. 20 photos of Brian's hockey career with the Cornwallis Cougars. Surnames: Alexander, Angrinon, Boucher, Burke, Burston, Campbell, Chisolm, Farnholtz, Honsinger, Jackson, Lapierre, Lee, MacLaughlin, Milen, Phillips, Poulton, Pratt, Reeve, Smale, Soleman, Vondette, Walton, Wells, Williamson. HMCS Bonaventure, Summer & Fall, 1967. June & Sept., 1967. Nine photos of HMCS Bonaventure in Quebec City (drydock) and Halifax. Surnames: Copeland, Lapierre, Thompson. HMCS Bonaventure, Nov., 1967. 22 photos of various aircraft on the flight deck as well as of HMCS Fraser & Provider. HMCS Bonaventure, Feb., 1968. 19 photos of HMCS Bonaventure at sea. Includes photos of the recovery of a crashed helicopter. Surnames: Gorselin, Lapierre, Larsen. HMCS Bonaventure in New Orleans, 1968. Seven photos of Canadian ships at the jetty. Surnames: Jakoplic, Lapierre. Halifax Harbour, May, 1968. Eight photos: Views of the harbour and various ships tied up there. All photos were taken from HMCS Bonaventure. HMCS Bonaventure in New York, 1968. Two photos of Canadian sailors from HMCS Bonaventure. Surnames: Lapierre, Spencer, Van Rooyen. North Atlantic & Belfast, Ireland. 13 photos: September & October, 1968. Most photos were taken from or on HMCS Bonaventure. HMCS Stadacona & HMC Dockyard, 1969. 14 photos of Stadacona in April & May, 1969 and the men on a Electrical Technician Trade Group 2 course. Surnames: Brayshaw, Flecknell, Demers, Lapierre, Legare, Lovasi, MacDougall, Pease, Spencer, Turtle, Whitmore. Ships & Subs in Halifax. 17 photos: May to August, 1969. Basic Submarine Course class photo as well as two photos of HMCS Bras d'Or. Surnames: Dube, Lapierre, Walsh. HMCS Onondaga at Bermuda, 1969. Seven photos taken in September, 1969 at N.O.B. Bermuda. Also a photo of HMCS Nipigon. Ships, Subs & a Sea King, Halifax. 11 photos: Oct.-Nov. 1969. Views of HMC Dock­yard, HMCS Cape Scott, Fundy, Ottawa, Restigouche and a Sea King delivering wounded from an explosion on HMCS Kootenay. HMCS Okanagan going to sea, 1969. Five photos taken in December, 1969 at CFB Halifax, including a photo of HMCS Protecteur. HMCS Bonaventure decom­mis­sioning sail­past. 19 photos: Dec., 1969. Views of HMCS Annapolis, Bonaventure, Fraser, Kootenay, Margaree, Onondaga, at HMC Dockard and Bedford Basin. Surnames: Lapierre, South. Submarines in Halifax, 1969. Five photos taken in December, 1969 at CFB Halifax – HMCS Okanagan on the Synchrolift and subs and ships with Christmas lighting. HMCS Okanagan, BBQ at sea, 1970. Five photos: Jan., 1970. Target practice and a barbeque at sea. Surnames: Aubrey, Blagdon, Brannen, Buckley, Cooper, Daly, Hillier, Jennings, Layden, McEachern, Renner, Ross, Sadler, Wambalt, Webb, Wyss. HMCS Okanagan in St Thomas, V.I., 1970. Five photos taken in Feb., 1970. Again, it was party time on the beach for the crew. Surnames: Goddard, Evans, Killiam, Goddard, Harris, Hillier, Lapierre, Schatz, Webb, Wilson. HMCS Okanagan in San Juan, P.R., 1970. 10 photos taken in Feb., 1970. HMCS Okanagan, USS Sea Robin, HMS London and other ships in San Juan harbour. HMCS Okanagan, Beard Contest. 17 photos taken in March, 1970. Surnames: Alberts, Anderson, Anthony, Brannen, Buckley, Cameron, Chambers, Conway, Crowe, Faid, Harrison, Higdon, Hughes, Layden, McEachern, Pfaff, Rodden, Sanderson, Schatz, Smith, Webb, Wilson, Wyss. Subs & ships in Halifax, 1970. Nine photos taken in April, 1970. Canadian, British & US subs and ships in Halifax harbour after "Exercise Steel Ring". HMCS Okanagan at sea, 1970. Eight photos taken in June, 1970. Surnames: Berry, Hanna, Lapierre, Mossman, Yeo. Dartmouth & Stadacona, 1970. Four photos taken in July & August, 1970. They must have been taken when HMCS Okanagan was in dry dock. HMCS Okanagan, BBQ at sea, 1970. Twelve photos taken in Sept., 1970. Surnames: Blagdon, Brown, Crowe, Daly, Ewan, Goddard, Hillier, Jones, Layden, Parlee, Pfaff, Renner, Sanderson, Schneider, Wilson. Inside HMCS Okanagan at sea, 1970. Eight photos taken in October, 1970. Surnames: Gardner, Goddard, Jones, Lapierre, MacEachern, Malloy, Renner, Rockley, Rodden. Submarines in Bermuda, 1970. Six photos taken in October, 1970. HMCS Okanagan & HMCS Ojibwa. The only surname is Courcy. HMCS Okanagan in St John's, NL, 1970. Eight photos taken in October, 1970. The only surname is Rowe. Submarines in San Juan, P.R., 1971. Ten photos taken in Feb., 1971 of HMCS Okanagan, HMCS Ojibwa and USS Sea Leopard. At sea off St Thomas, V.I., 1971. Nine photos taken in March, 1971. Surnames are Blagdon, Brown, Cameron, Lapierre, O'Hara, Renner, Wadell, Ward, Wyss. HMCS Okanagan in St Lucia, 1971. Three photos taken in March, 1971 of visit to Castries, St Lucia. The only surname is Lapierre. US submarines in Norfolk, Va, 1971. Eleven photos taken in April, 1971. Submarines identified are: USS Flying Fish, Skipjack, Trepang. Card Hockey Tournament, 1971. 16 photos taken in April, 1971. A wild hockey game played with cards. Surnames are Broyden, Cameron, Carter, Childs, Daigle, Evans, Hall, Lapierre, Llewellyn, Roach, Schneider, Wambalt. Dependents' Day Cruise, 1971. 21 photos taken in Sept., 1971. Surnames are: Childs, Daly, Hurford, Lapierre, Malloy, Renner. Ships & subs identified are: HMCS Bras d'Or, Cape Scott, Ojibwa, Okanagan, Onondaga, Ottawa, Protecteur, St Laurent. At Sea & in Bermuda, 1971. Six photos taken in September, 1971. Crew swimming at sea, and a visit to Bermuda. Surnames are Goldsmith, Lapierre, Thompson. Last Rum Issue, March 31, 1972. Four photos. Surnames are: Brannen, Broyden, Conway, McEachern, Rodden, Webb. HMCS Stadacona ET TG3 Course, 1972-3. One photo of Brian's Lapierre's Trade Group Three course. Surnames: Brisson, Johnston, Lapierre, Meloche, Morgan, Parker, Rozelle, Rubinich, Scott, Smith, Sullivan, Tremblay, Vermette, Whalen. HMCS Okanagan leaving Halifax, 1973. Seven photos taken in May, 1973. Departing Halifax for workups in the UK. Surnames are: Flewwelling, Hayward, Miller. Memorial to PO2 McLeod. Three photos of a wreath-laying in Portland, England, at the grave of PO2 L.D. McLeod, a Canadian sailor who was killed in 1955 on HMS Sidon. Surnames: Jennings, Yeo. HMCS Okanagan's Fifth Birthday. Two photos taken June 1973, of remaining com­mis­sioning crew members. Surnames: Bell, Blagdon, Brannen, Brown, Cameron, Carter, Childs, Estabrooks, Goddard, Hillier, Jennings, Mizuik, Renner, Wilson, Wyss. HMCS Okanagan in Scotland. Six photos taken June & July, 1973, in Faslane and Rothsay, Scotland. Surnames: Flewwelling, Gallant, Hillier, Lapierre, Mydynsky, Newman. HMCS Okanagan & RFA Grey Rover collide. 20 photos. On July 28, 1973, HMCS Okanagan collided with RFA Grey Rover in the Clyde Estuary. Surnames: Brown, Flewwelling, Lapierre, Malloy, Middleton, Patterson, Smith, Wilson, Yeo. HMCS Okanagan in St George, Bermuda. Six photos taken October, 1973, in St George, Bermuda. Surnames: Lapierre, Parry. HMCS Okanagan, Barbeque at Sea. Nine photos taken Feb. 1974, of a barbeque, swimming & a Russian trawler, en route to the Caribbean. Surnames: Cameron, Cooper, Deak, Estabrooks, Flewwelling, Gallant, Gordon, Hamilton, Lapierre, Lewis, Mowat, Renner, Rockley, Schatz, Waite, Wyss. HMCS Okanagan on a Caribbean Visit. 26 photos taken Feb. 1974, in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. There are photos of Canadian, U.S., British, Dutch & German ships, as well as of crew members. Surnames: Deak, Hayward, Lapierre, Lloyd, McDonnell, Mizuik. Card Hockey Tournament, 1974. 24 photos taken March 1974. Surnames: Bell, Cameron, Carter, Childs, Cooper, Daigle, Estabrooks, Evans, Gallant, Hamilton, Hayward, Jennings, Lloyd, Madynski, Malloy, Martel, Middleton, Mizuik, Newman, Renner, Scott, Smith, Sullivan, Waite, Wyss. HMCS Okanagan in Corner Brook, NL. Six photos taken July, 1974, on a visit to Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Surnames: Lapierre, O'Hara. Commanding Officer Change, 1974. Nine photos taken July 1974 in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Also a photo of the submarine's crew. Surnames: Bell, Blagdon, Brown, Guttin, Hunt, Lapierre. HMCS Okanagan Off To Sea. Four photos taken October, 1974, as she leaves Halifax harbour. HMCS Nipigon, 1975 Great Lakes Cruise. Eleven photos taken July & August, 1975 in Montreal, Toronto, Kingston, Windsor. HMCS Nipigon at Sea & in Dublin, Ireland. 13 photos taken Sept., 1975, showing re-fueling from HMCS Preserver, views of HMCS Fraser & Skeena, and views of Dublin. HMCS Nipigon at sea & Hamburg, Germany. 15 photos taken September & October, 1975 at sea and in Scotland and Hamburg, Germany. Surnames: Lapierre, Meloche, Quinn. HMCS Okanagan at Sea, 1976. Eight photos taken August, 1976, showing kite-flying contest and mess dinner. Surnames: Alarie, Cooper, Ewan, Ferguson, Hynes, Limoges, Lloyd, Nesbit, Sadler, Sullivan, Surette, Wyss. HMCS Margaree NATO Exercises, 1977. 41 photos taken March to May, 1977 at sea, Saint Johns, NL and Oslo, Norway. Good photos of navy ships of many nations. Surnames: Dolomont, Lapierre. HMCS Margaree NATO Exercises, 1977. 37 photos taken June & July, 1977, taken in Narvik, and the waters of Norway. Shown are ships of many nations and the famous arrow-riding caper during Margaree's sail-past. Surnames: Dolomont, Lapierre, Parker. HMCS Margaree at Sea, & Trinidad, 1978. 15 photos taken Jan. & Feb., 1978 at sea, and in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Photos of HMCS Annapolis, Iroquois, Nipigon. Surname: Lapierre. Electrical Tech Sup6A Course, 1977-78. Held Sept., 1977 to Feb., 1978, at HMCS Stadacona. Surnames: Brown, Eng, Gebler, Harrison, Hills, Holland, Lapierre, Molloy, Rockley, Santo, Smith, Yeo. HMCS Margaree, Monaco & Barcelona. Eleven photos taken Oct. & Nov., 1978 in Monaco, Barcelona & with views of Gibraltar. Surnames: Falconer, Lapierre, Turcotte, Wing. CFFS Halifax, 280 Main Propulsion Control Tech Course, January to June, 1979. Surnames: Chartrand, Cooper, Crepin, Desprey, Francis, Hills, Jolivet, Lapierre, Urquhart, Vinnedge, Whitesell. CFB Borden Senior Leaders Course, 1979. Held Sept., 1979, at CFB Borden. Brian Lapierre is the only one identified. HMCS Iroquois, in Caribbean. Four photos taken Jan., 1980 -- two of the crew swimming and one each of a Russian trawler and a Russian submarine. HMCS Iroquois, Missile Test Firing, 1980. Four photos taken June, 1980 at sea. HMCS Iroquois, on NATO Exercises. 11 photos taken Jan. & Feb., 1982. Ships shown: FGS Augsburg, HMS Danae, HMCS Protecteur, USS Sellers, HNLMS Van Nes. Surnames: Hawes, Lapierre, Prosser. HMCS Iroquois, in New Orleans, 1982. 13 photos taken February, 1982 during Mardi Gras. Surnames: Garceau, Lapierre, Marsden. Ships shown: FGS Augsburg, HMS Danae, HMCS Iroquois, USS Sellers, HNLMS Van Nes. USS Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Six photos taken in March, 1982. All were taken of or on the USS Alabama. Surnames: Hawes, Lapierre. HMCS Iroquois, at sea with NATO, 1982. Seven photos taken March, 1982. Ships shown: FGS Augsburg, HMCS Preserver, HNLMS Van Nes. The HMCS Iroquois' 10th Birthday. Four photos, taken in June, 1983, of 10th birthday cake-cutting, etc. Surnames: Allen, Lapierre, Mason, Wright. HMCS Athabaskan, NATO, 1983. 33 photos, Jan.-April, 1983. Surnames: Gilbert, Lapierre. Countries: Belgium, Gibraltar, Scotland, Spain. Ships: HNLMS Banckert, HMS Dido, USS Comte de Grasse, HNoMS Narvik, FGS Rommel. Canadian Forces Fleet School, 1984-86. Four photos of students and instructors of MPCS courses. Surnames: Bonnah, Bouchard, Chenie, Christie, Cumming, Desprey, Dube, Durnford, Faucher, Franklin, Franklin, Garceau, Girard, Haines, Hill, King, Lapierre, Lawhead, Mackie, Manning, Meunier, Middlekoop, Mountan, Ouellet, Pesant, Prosser, Provencher, Richards, Russell, Squire, Starr, Steeb, Stone, Summers, Vinnedge, Wagner, Wilson, Yeo. Halifax: 75th Anniversary RCN Ball. Eight photos, May, 1985. Surnames: Broyden, Franklin, Garceau, Lapierre, Stone, Wilson. "Armex 87" in Ottawa. Six photos of Maritime Command's booth and contents at "Armex 87" in Ottawa. Only person identified is Brian Lapierre. HMCS Algonquin en route to Trump Refit. Two photos, October, 1987. Submarine Study Team, 1988. Group photo of the team in Sydney, Australia, March, 1988. Surnames: Langlois, Lapierre, MacMillan, Pollard. HMCS Halifax Delivery to Navy, 1990. Six photos, June, 1990. Presentations and the ship tied up in Saint John, NB. Surnames: Clayton, Huett, Morgan, Renner, Schuman. Ships Leavng For Gulf War, 1990. Three photos of ships leaving Halifax for the Gulf War -- HMCS Athabaskan, Protecteur, Terra Nova. Ships Returning from Gulf War, 1991. 10 photos of the same ships returning to Halifax, April, 1991. Navy Ships in Halifax, 1992. Four photos of ships in Halifax harbour -- HMCS Iroquois, Skeena, Terra Nova, Vancouver and USS Shiloh & Ticonderoga. HMCS Charlottetown CPF Support, 1996. Two photos of the support team, March, 1996. Surnames: Finnamore, Kyle, Lapierre. HMCS Onondaga Last Dive Cruise, 2000. 16 photos of former submariners on her last dive cruise, July 27, 2000. Surnames: Brown, Daigle, Dietz, Doutre, Estabrooks, Evans, Glover, Hood, Kamermans, Killam, Lapierre, Layden, MacEachern, Pease, Piercey, Renner, Shields, Toyer. Submarine 1st Block Draft Reunion, 2004. 59 photos of people at the reunion in Halifax, Aug. 19-22, 2004. Surnames: Allen, Arnason, Biloski, Brown, Broyden, Burnett, Byzewski, Cairns, Carrier, Clahane, Connolly, Cooper, Cruikshank, Dagenais, Daigle, Desrosiers, Doutre, Embree, Evans, Goddard, Gordon, Gray, Griffin, Hamilton, Harris, Higdon, Hood, Hunt, Hurford, Jenner, Jennings, Kamermans, Kearn, King, Lake, Lapierre, Lavers, Layden, MacEachern, MacKinnon, Madison, Marcoux, McCluskey, McCulley, McLean, McMillan, Middleton, Miller, Mossman, Mowat, O'Hara, Patterson, Pearce, Pepper, Phillips, Presley, Ranger, Renner, Roach, Sadler, Sanderson, Sawyer, Scott, Shields, Sigrist, Smith, Stoakley, Sullivan, Waugh, Webb. 100th Anniversary of Subs in Canada, 2014. 19 photos of attendees at the "100th Anniversary of Submarines in Canada" celebrations, at CFB Halifax, October 2014. Surnames: Byzewski, Chatham, Doutre, Estabrooks, Irvine, Lapierre, Lovasi, Parsons, Roach, Waugh. HMCS Ojibwa Commis­sioning 50th Anniversary, 2015. 21 photos of people at the get-together held to com­mem­morate the 50th anni­versary of the commissioning of HMCS Ojibwa. Surnames: Clahane, Cooper, Gordon, Hopkins, Rouillard, Thomas. HMCS Athabaskan Veterans' Day Cruise, 8 March, 2017. 50 photos of the ship and many of the former crew who were guests on the cruise. Surnames of people shown: Cameron, Clark, Dempsey, Deschenes, Desprey, Gard, Gilbert, Kollen, Lamy, Lapierre, Michaud, Porter, Sanford, Smythe, Steig, Stevens, Stewart. HMCS Athabaskan Paying-Off Cruise, 10 March, 2017. 29 photos of the final sail-past in Halifax Harbour, the final approach to the jetty, preparing for the final shut-down, the crew disembarking for the last time, etc. Nobody is identified. 50th Anniversary of the Commis­sioning of HMCS Onondaga in Halifax, 2017. 20 photos of people at the get-together held to com­mem­morate the 50th anni­versary of the commissioning of HMCS Onondaga. Surnames: Boettcher, Cooper, Griffin, Hallonquist, Higdon, Lapierre, Rouillard, Russell, Thomas, Tovey, Waugh. 50th Anniversary of the Commis­sioning of HMCS Okanagan in Halifax, 2018. 34 photos of people at the get-together held to com­mem­morate the 50th anni­versary of the commissioning of HMCS Okanagan. Surnames: Anderson, Blagdon, Brown, Burke, Estabrooks, Griffin, Hunt, Lapierre, Lovasi, Nesbit, Northrup, St. Amant, Waddell, Walsworth.