Canadian Military and Nuclear weapons

[ArmyRick]

Another interesting video. Not sure of its accuracy, history buffs?

 

[ueo]

Suspect most pix are AQI or AI Assisted. Facts are suspect especially Bomarks and 104s, AF input required pls,

 

[lenaitch]

I'm not sure about Europe but the defensive/NORAD history is pretty much the way I understand it.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Comox and I believe Greenwood had nuclear depthcharges, one of my RSS staff had been posted to Comox to guard them. Then the Honest Johns in Europe and the Genni missile was positioned at some airbases if I understand it correctly?

 

[ArmyRick]

Facts are suspect

Just curious what made you think that?

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Comox and I believe Greenwood had nuclear depthcharges, one of my RSS staff had been posted to Comox to guard them. Then the Honest Johns in Europe and the Genni missile was positioned at some airbases if I understand it correctly?

Comox had the nuclear Genie missiles for the CF-101. When I joined 3 PPCLI in the late '70's a couple of the guys in our company had did security for the nukes.

 

[ArmyRick]

That part (nuclear weapons) of Canadian military history is kept very hush hush for the most part.

I knew about the Honest John missiles, my father told me about it when he was in Germany in the 60s in 2RCHA

 

[medicineman]

I knew about the Honest John missiles, my father told me about it when he was in Germany in the 60s in 2RCHA

Interesting...my dad was with 2RCHA at the same time. He told me about a div level shoot all the BAOR arty units did, including 1SSM Bty...was a little hard on the hearing apparently.

 

[OldSolduer]

Comox had the nuclear Genie missiles for the CF-101. When I joined 3 PPCLI in the late '70's a couple of the guys in our company had did security for the nukes.

We had a 42 year old corporal in 1 Sigs who’d done that gig. Old Willy Wilson

 

[lenaitch]

That part (nuclear weapons) of Canadian military history is kept very hush hush for the most part.

As is the Canadian way.

Interesting that the Bomarcs were installed in North Bay (and assume La Macaza) in 1961 but the nuclear warheads weren't delivered until 1963 - New Year's Eve - at night.

 

[MacNav63]

As is the Canadian way.

Interesting that the Bomarcs were installed in North Bay (and assume La Macaza) in 1961 but the nuclear warheads weren't delivered until 1963 - New Year's Eve - at night.

All part of the fall out from the Arrow. In cancelling the Arrow, Dief agreed to acquiring the Voodoo and Bomarc, both of which were only of any use when armed with nuclear warheads (in the Voodoo's case on the Genie missiles). But then Dief refused to take the warheads. It became an issue in the 1963 election with Pearson campaigning on the side of take the warheads and winning.

As to not talking too much about the issue in later years, after Trudeau dropped the nuclear role in Europe it seems to me that pretty much all Canadians just took for granted that Canada was no longer in the nuclear game at all, despite the fact that until the CF-18s arrived to replace the Voodoos, we still needed those warheads at Comox and I assume Chatham and North Bay.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I was in Chatham in 1989. There were no nukes, but the storage area was still plainly there. As was the massive MP detachment, relative to the size of the base.

 

[lenaitch]

All part of the fall out from the Arrow. In cancelling the Arrow, Dief agreed to acquiring the Voodoo and Bomarc, both of which were only of any use when armed with nuclear warheads (in the Voodoo's case on the Genie missiles). But then Dief refused to take the warheads. It became an issue in the 1963 election with Pearson campaigning on the side of take the warheads and winning.

As to not talking too much about the issue in later years, after Trudeau dropped the nuclear role in Europe it seems to me that pretty much all Canadians just took for granted that Canada was no longer in the nuclear game at all, despite the fact that until the CF-18s arrived to replace the Voodoos, we still needed those warheads at Comox and I assume Chatham and North Bay.

I'm not aware that there were Genies in North Bay. I believe by that time, the squadrons operating there were OTUs. I'm not aware of any remnants of a weapons storage area.

 

[OldSolduer]

As is the Canadian way.

Interesting that the Bomarcs were installed in North Bay (and assume La Macaza) in 1961 but the nuclear warheads weren't delivered until 1963 - New Year's Eve - at night.

How true. If it’s uncomfortable we won’t discuss it or teach it.

Except colonialism….

 

[MacNav63]

I'm not aware that there were Genies in North Bay. I believe by that time, the squadrons operating there were OTUs. I'm not aware of any remnants of a weapons storage area.

Checked the Wiki (FWIW) and apparently the Voodoos were originally stationed at Comox, North Bay, Uplands (which I didn't know), Bagotville and Chatham, but were withdrawn from North Bay and Uplands due to budget cuts in 1964, so likely before the nukes were deployed. It seems the Voodoo didn't return to North Bay until 1972 in the EW role. But again, that's all from the Wiki. Mind you, I can't imagine any scenario in which nuclear warheads would have been stored right outside Ottawa.