8 of His Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS)
On 12 July 1950 three Canadian destroyers, HMCS Cayuga, HMCS
Athabaskan, and HMCS Sioux sailed for Korean waters to serve under United Nations Command. From then until the cease-fire in 1953, three Canadian warships on a rotation basis served continuously in the Korean War theatre.
The Royal Canadian Navy, along with navies of other UN Forces including the Republic of Korea, maintained blockades of enemy coasts, engaged enemy shore batteries, protected friendly islands, took part in the Inchon landing and, on the enemy East Coast had great success in “trainbusting”-the destruction of enemy supply trains.
“Train Busting” – These 8 Canadian Destroyers with a total of 3,621 crew members helped to destroy enemy supply trains advancing to South Korea during the Korean War and they patrolled the Korean waters during the UN Peace Keeping Mission until 1955.
HMCS ATHABASKAN
HMCS CAYUGA
HMCS SIOUX
HMCS NOOTKA
HMCS HURON
HMCS IROQUOIS
HMCS CRUSADER
HMCS HAIDA
SERVICE OF HMCS DESTROYERS IN KOREA
Pacific Coast Command – Departed Esquimalt, British Columbia
Destroyers Arrived Op Theatre Departed Op Theatre
H.M.C.S. Athabaskan
30 July 1950 3 May 1951
1 Sept. 1951 26 Nov. 1952
21 June 1952 18 Nov. 1953
H.M.C.S. Cayuga
30 July 1950 16 Mar. 1951
20 July 1951 1 June 1952
1 Jan 1954 22 Nov 1954
H.M.C.S. Sioux
30 July 1950 15 Jan 1951
30 April 1951 14 Dec 1954
14 Feb 1952 7 Sept 1955
H.M.C.S. Crusader
21 June 1952 18 June 1953
20 Nov 1953 15 Aug 1954
Nine sailors made the supreme sacrifice from 1950 to 1955.
HMCS IROQUOIS served two tours of duty in Korean waters, 1952 and 1953. On October 2, 1952, during her third patrol in Song Jin, North Korea. Lieutenant-Commander John Quinn and Ordinary Seaman Elburne Baikie (from Hamilton) were killed instantly by an artillery attack, and eight other sailors were wounded.
9 Fallen Royal Canadian Navy Korean War Veterans
8 Canadian Destroyers that served
during the Korean War, UN Peace Keeping Mission
HMCS Cayuga Able Seaman Vince Liska – December 4, 1950
HMCS Nootka Ordinary Seaman Leon Gauthier – January 11, 1951
HMCS Sioux Able Seaman Frank Laker – July 21, 1951
HMCS Sioux Able Seaman Robert Moore – July 21, 1951
HMCS Athabaskan Able Seaman Robin Skavberg – November 27, 1951
HMCS Iroquois Able Seaman Ian Torraville – August 5, 1952
HMCS Iroquois Able Seaman Elburne Baikie – October 2, 1952
HMCS Iroquois Able Seaman Wallis Burden – October 2, 1952
HMCS Iroquois Lt. Cdr John Quinn, MiD – October 2, 1952
HMCS Iroquois
Lt. Cdr John Quinn, MiD, Killed in Action
Lt. Cdr John Quinn is also a WWII Veteran landed on D-Day in Juno beach, France. During the Korean War, he served on HMCS Iroquois and killed by enemy artillery attack along with Able Seaman Elburne Baikie from Hamilton, Ontario. His son Charles Quinn, who lost his father at age 4, and he received the “Ambassador for Peace Medal” on behalf of his father in 2017.
Lt. Cdr John Quinn Citation:
1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star,
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp,
War Medal 1939-45,
Naval General Service Medal,
Palestine Clasp 1945-48,
United Nations Service Medal (Korea)
Korea Volunteer Medal
Please click the link to read HMCS Iroquois Aftermath Article. 
Andy Barber, Signaller served with HMCS Haida
Ron Kirk, Signaller served with HMCS Iroquois
Neil Bell, Korean War Naval Veteran (HMCS Huron), his friend
Korean War Naval Veterans (HMCS Huron)
Neil Bell, Korean War Naval Veteran (HMCS Huron), his friend
HMSC Huron damaged
Kevin McQuinnon served on HMCS Athabaskan
Andy Barber, President of HMCS Haida Association,
Mike Wallace MP, HooJung Jones Kennedy,
Bill Black, President of HMCS Huron Association
Korean War Naval Veterans, Members of HMCS Huron Association
HooJung Jones Kennedy, Bill Black, President of HMCS Huron Association
“RCN Korean War 8 Ships Served in Korea” Monument
(Please click the link to see more details)
“RCN Korean War 8 Ships Served in Korea” Monument
(RCN Veterans Poem)
“RCN Monument” at the Spencer Smith Park, Burlington, Ontario
beside the “RCN 8 Ships that Served in Korea” Monument.
(Left to Right: Rev. Bill Thomas, Andy Barber, Korean War Veteran served with HMCS Haida, Jerry Trudell, Ron Kirk, Korean War Naval Veteran served with HMCS Iroquois, HooJung Jones Kennedy, KVA Unit Project Director, Major (Ret’d) Don Kennedy)
“The RCN 8 Ships that served in Korea Monument” was erected by the KVA Unit 26, Hamilton R.O.K Memorial Committee on July 28, 2014 at the Spencer Smith Park in Burlington to honour and remember the 9 deceased sailors of the 8 ships that served in Korea. As a Fundraising Director of the Monument committee, it was my honour to design the monument prototype and helped to erect the monument working with the dedicated committee members (Andy Barber, Ron Kirk, Korean War Naval Veterans, Major (Ret’d) Don Kennedy, Rev. Bill Thomas, Jerry Trudell) to remember the 9 sailors. They were the forgotten heroes of the Korean War. We will remember them.
– HooJung Jones Kennedy, Monument Fundraising Director of the KVA Unit 26, Hamilton R.O.K Memorial Committee-
Special thanks to:
Hon. Senator Yonah Martin
Veterans Affairs Canada
City of Burlington
Korea Veterans Association of Canada Unit 26, Hamilton
Halton Naval Veterans Association
Burl-Oak Naval Veterans
–
VIP guests and Korean War Veterans at the Ceremony
VIP guests and Korean War Veterans at the Ceremony
Signal Bugler playing the “Last Post”.
RCN Retired Sailors
Left to Right: Fred Norman, President of Burl-Oak Naval Veterans,
HooJung Jones Kennedy, Monument Fund Raising Director,
Rev. Canon Bill Thomas
Left to Right: Hon. Rob Nocholson, Minister of Defence,
Jung Kapyoon, Chair of the National Assembly (Republic of Korea)
Hon. Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affair Canada, Andy Baber, Korean War Veteran
Left to Right: Mike Wallace, MP (Burlington), Hon. Yonah Martin, Senator
Jung Kapyoon, Chair of the National Assembly (Republic of Korea) laying a wreath
Rick Goldring, Mayor of Burlington laying a wreath.
Doug Clifford, Korean War Veteran a member of KVA Unit 26 Hamilton
Romeo Daley, Korean War Veteran, President of KVA Unit 15, Niagara
UN And Korean flags at the Monument
Let to Right: Sangsoo Lee, Vice Consul General and HooJung Jones Kennedy
Left to Right: HooJung Jones Kennedy, Hon. Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affair Canada
Left to Right: Romeo Daley, HooJung Jones, Hon. Rob Nicholson, Minister of National Defence
Left to Right: HooJung Jones Kennedy, Jung Kapyoon Chair of the National Assembly (Republic of Korea)
Left to Right: Korean students delegates from Korea
Left to Right: Korean students delegates from Korea
singing Korean National Anthem wearing Korean Traditional Dress (Hanbok).
Left to Right: Kyusik Kim, Vietnam Veteran, Emily Han
Rhys Jones, Volunteer
Hooung Jones Kennedy and Major (Ret’d) Don Kennedy
Major (Ret’d) Dae Dong Hwang, Major (Ret’d) Don Kennedy,
Hooung Jones Kennedy
2019 RCN Korean War Naval Veterans Commemorative Ceremony
at the Halton Naval Veterans Club
Burlington, Ontario
Please click the link below to read the event Program and event photo report.
Korean War Veterans at the monument unveiling ceremony
Major (Ret’d) Don Kennedy, HooJung Jones Kennedy
Major (Ret’d) Don Kennedy, Andy Barber, (HMCS Haida),
Eleanor McMahon MPP, Jerry Trudell, Ron Kirk, MCS Iroquois), Rev. Bill Thomas
Royal Canadian Naval Veterans Newsletter – “YARDARM”
Contributing Author, HooJung Jones Kennedy’s Articles regarding the Korean War Veterans Events.
Please click the link below to read the YARADARM.
© Korean War Veterans Advocates of Canada