Honours and Awards

• Home
• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• Y
• Z

George Medal

BEEMAN, John Henault, LCdr (P), 0-5390, RCN

Issued: 7-Feb-1959, Canada Gazette

"November 26, 1955 Lieutenant Commander J.H. BEEMAN, pilot; Lieutenant Commander F.R. FINK, co-pilot; and two seamen were jointly responsible for saving the 21 members of the crew of the Liberian Freighter S.S. 'KISMET II', which had run aground on the rocky coast of Cape Breton Island against a cliff which rose almost vertically from the sea to a height of some 400 feet and was being pounded to pieces by heavy seas. It was decided by the authorities concerned that the rescue could not be effected from shore while heavy seas and reefs made any attempts from sea impossible. At 0815 hours on November 26, 1955 LCdr Beeman and LCdr Fink, and the two seamen who had volunteered to be crew members, flew his helicopter towards the wreck. The wind had veered slightly and he found that along the cliff face, the turbulence was not so great and he was able to approach close to the 'KISMET II' and still maintain control of his helicopter. His co-pilot and crew, by hand signals, were able to make the crew of the ship understand that they wanted the after steering platform cleared away by the removal of ventilators, rails, etc., so that the helicopter could land. This operation was accomplished in short order and LCdr Beeman succeeded in balancing his helicopter on the deck on three wheels; the fact that fairly heavy turbulence was still being encountered and that the cliff was only about 25 feet away, made any attempt at a rescue by hoist, with the helicopter hovering, impractical. He embarked four members of the ship's crew, and by watching his opportunity between gusts, was able to take off from his precarious position and land them ashore. Leaving his co-pilot and one seaman behind, LCdr Beeman made a second trip to the 'KISMET II', this time removing 7 of the crew. LCdr Beeman was considerably fatigued by this time, and the third and fourth trips in which the remaining 10 members of the ship's crew were removed, were made by the co-pilot LCdr Fink."