REMARKS FOR CF-104 MEMORIAL DEDICATION CEREMONY

BY LIEUTENANT-GENERAL FRED SUTHERLAND, CMM, CD

AIR FORCE (RETIRED)

GENERAL MANSON, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL CAMPBELL, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE STARFIGHTER COMMUNITY, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS

IL ME FAIT TRÈS GRAND PLAISIR D’ÊTRE ICI CE MATIN

ET D’AVOIR L’OCCASION D’ASSISTER À CETTE CÉRÉMONIE DE CONSÉCRATION

C’EST AUSSI UN TRÈS HONNEUR POUR MOI D’AVOIR L’OCCASION DE PARTICIPER DANS LA CÉRÉMONIE

EN VOUS LISANT LA POÈME ‘HIGH FLIGHT’ PAR JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR.

BEFORE READING THE POEM, WHICH IS WELL KNOWN TO ALL AVIATORS HERE TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MOMENTS TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE AUTHOR, WHO IS NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS IS HIS FAMOUS POEM.

JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR

1922 - BORN JUNE 19 IN SHANGHAI CHINA TO MISSIONARY

           PARENTS

         - SPOKE THREE CHINESE DIALECTS

1931 – AT AGE 9 MOVED TO KENT (NEAR LONDON) WITH HIS

            MOTHER AND YOUNGER BROTHER TO LIVE WITH HIS

            GRANDMOTHER WHILE ATTENDING PRIVATE SCHOOL

1939 - MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY TO LIVE WITH HIS

            FATHER’S SISTER

- OBTAINED AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP

- HONOURS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL

- ACCEPTED AT YALE UNIVERSITY WITH FULL

  SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY ENGLISH CLASSICS

- WHILE AT YALE, HE WAS BOTH A SCHOLAR AND A POET

   1940 – HEARING OF THE GERMAN BOMBINGS OF THE UK

               AND THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, HE DECIDED NOT TO

               GO TO YALE, BUT RATHER TO TRAVEL TO MONTREAL

               AND TO JOIN THE RCAF

   1941 - SENT TO NUMBER ONE MANNING DEPOT IN TORONTO

             - ASSIGNED TO NUMBER NINE ELEMENTARY FLYING

               SCHOOL IN ST. CATHERINES

- THEN TO NUMBER TWO SERVICE FLYING SCHOOL IN

                OTTAWA

              - RECEIVED HIS WINGS IN JUNE

              - PROCEEDED TO ENGLAND VIA HALIFAX

     - ON SEPTEMBER 3^RD, AFTER A FLIGHT TO 30,000

                 FEET IN A SPITFIRE, ‘SCRIBBLED’ THE POEM HIGH 

                 FLIGHT IN A LETTER TO HIS MOTHER

               - POSTED TO 412 SQUADRON FLYING SPITFIRES 

      - ON DECEMBER 11^TH, WHILE IN A FORMATION

        DESCENT THROUGH CLOUD, HE COLLIDED WITH A 

        SMALL TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE

      - BOTH PILOTS WERE KILLED - MAGEE WAS JUST 19

        YEARS OLD

      - ON DECEMBER 13^TH, HE WAS BURIED BY HIS

        SQUADRON IN A CEMETERY NEAR THEIR BASE IN

        DIGBY

I WILL NOW READ JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR’S POEM

HIGH FLIGHT

“OH! I HAVE SLIPPED THE SURLY BONDS OF EARTH

AND DANCED THE SKY ON LAUGHTER-SILVERED WINGS

SUNWARD I’VE CLIMBED, AND JOINED THE TUMBLING MIRTH

OF SUN-SPLIT CLOUDS – AND DONE A HUNDRED THINGS

           YOU HAVE NOT DREAMED OF – WHEELED AND SOARED

           AND SWUNG

           HIGH IN THE SUNLIT SILENCE. HOV’RING THERE

            I’VE CHASED THE SHOUTING WINGS ALONG, AND

            FLUNG

           MY EAGER CRAFT THROUGH FOOTLESS HALLS OF AIR.

  UP, UP THE LONG, DELIRIOUS, BURNING BLUE

  I’VE TOPPED THE WIND-SWEPT HEIGHTS WITH EASY

           GRACE

            WHERE NEVER LARK, NOR EVEN EAGLES FLEW –

            AND, WHILE WITH SILENT, LIFTING MIND I’VE TROD

            THE HIGH UNTRESPASSED SANCTITY OF SPACE,

            PUT OUT MY HAND AND TOUCHED THE FACE OF GOD”.

THANK YOU

MERCI