Domestic Stories

SHIPMATES OF HMCS HURON TO MUSTER ONE LAST TIME

ESQUIMALT, BC – Current and former shipmates of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Huron will muster one last time to say farewell to their ship at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 31.  After 32 years of service to Canada, the ship Huron will be officially paid off in the presence of the Honourable Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and Commodore Roger Girouard, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific.

Built by Marine Industries of Sorel, Quebec, HMCS Huron was commissioned on Dec. 16, 1972 as one of four Iroquois-class destroyers.  Originally designed and built as an anti-submarine warfare ship with point air defence capability, a major refit program that began in 1987 transformed the Iroquois-class destroyers into Task Group Command and Air Defence ships.  Huron underwent the Tribal Class Update and Modernization Program between 1992 and 1994.  Other ships of the class are HMC ships Iroquois and Athabaskan, both assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, and HMCS Algonquin is the flagship for the Pacific Fleet.

Since joining Canadian Fleet Pacific in 1987, Huron was among the first Canadian ships to visit Vladivostok, Russia in 1990.  At the end of the Gulf War in 1991 she was the first Canadian ship to enter Kuwait having been deployed to succeed the three Canadian ships that led the Multinational Logistics Force in support of the War.  Huron was a major participant in support of Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s operation to stop illegal boat migrants from coming to Canada in 1999.  Later, a decision was made to place the ship on extended readiness status because personnel shortages made it impossible for the ship to be properly crewed.  Huron last sailed on Oct. 23, 2000, and a small custodial crew has since maintained it.

The time has come to say farewell to Huron, and officially mark the ship’s end of active duty.  It is with this intention that past and present “Hurons” have been invited to sail on sister ship HMCS Algonquin and re-discover the capabilities of the Iroquois-class on the day before the ceremony.  Finally, on Thursday, former shipmates will gather one last time and mark Huron’s last day of service in the Canadian Navy.

-30-

NOTE TO NEWS DIRECTORS/EDITORS: Media representatives who wish to attend the event are asked to contact Navy Public Affairs for access, at (250) 363-5789.

Back to Listing