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The family of a Fort McMurray man who died fighting in the Vietnam War will be honoured as this year’s Memorial Family at local Remembrance Day ceremonies.
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Gordon Glenn White is one of the few Canadians who died fighting in Vietnam. White was born in 1945 in Fort McMurray and worked at Great Canadian Oil Sands (GCOS). White’s father served in the Second World War and in May 1968, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at a recruiting station in Montana.
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After basic training, White returned to Fort McMurray on leave and was deployed to Vietnam. On March 12, 1969, Lance Corporal White was killed by a landmine.
His body returned to Fort McMurray with a USMC Honour Guard and is buried in Pioneer Cemetery. In 2001, the municipality honoured him with Gordon White Avenue in downtown Fort McMurray. White’s uniform, medals and photos are on display at the Military Museum of the RMWB, which is located at the Royal Canadian Legion in Waterways.
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It’s difficult to determine how many Canadian citizens fought in Vietnam given many were dual citizens of the U.S. and Canada. Estimates range from 12,000 to 40,000. Of those, up to 160 people on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial held Canadian citizenship. To compare, 159 members of the Canadian Armed Forces died in Afghanistan.
Remembrance Day ceremonies will often feature the family of a veteran who died serving their country in war. White’s family will be represented at this year’s ceremony by his youngest sister, Penney Fedora, and his nephew, Rick White. A fellow Marine and Vietnam veteran will also speak at the ceremony.
There will be an outdoor and indoor Remembrance Day ceremony this year.
- Indoor: The indoor ceremony is at MacDonald Island Park. Public can watch wreaths laid between 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Colours march in at 10:15 a.m. and Cenotaph service begins at 10:40 a.m. March past is at 11:15 a.m. The public is invited to a reception afterwards at the Legion in Waterways. The Military Museum of the RMWB will be open.
- Outdoor: An outdoor ceremony is at the Fort McMurray Legion in Waterways. Wreath placement and acts of remembrance from 10:30 to 10:40 AM. The ceremony runs from 10:40 to 11:10. The public is invited to a reception afterwards. The Military Museum of the RMWB will be open.
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