Remembrance Day

Mr Stephen Millen was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 442 Search and Rescue Squadron at 19 Wing Comox, BC in April 2010.

Born in Chilliwack BC, Honorary Colonel Millen currently serves as the Managing Director of Worthington Partners, a corporate Communications and Marketing company located in Vancouver serving Canadian and international clients. He attended the UBC and the Ivey Business School at University of Western Ontario and subsequently served with a number of firms primarily in the Securities field but also gained experience in the Canadian Resource Industry and the luxury automobile segment. Most notably, he served in several posts with ADT Security Services Canada for 13 years, culminating in his capacity as V-P Marketing and Public Relations from 2001 – 06.

Honorary Colonel Millen serves on a range of committees and boards including the Delta Hospital Foundation serving as its Chairman from 2007 - 2009; as a Director of the Provincial Board of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council; as a member of the executive committee for Friends of HMCS Vancouver; on the alumni executive committee of St. George’s School; and previously served as a member of the Board for the BC Yukon Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Honorary Colonel Millen and his family reside in Delta BC.

Honorary Colonel Millen spoke about the role of the search and rescue squadron and the type of aircraft they use. He talked about the history of the squadron and the strong connection the Royal Canadian Air Force has with the Boundary Bay Airport.

The unit was first activated as a fighter squadron in 1942 due to the perceived threat on Canada's west coast after the Pearl Harbor attack. The squadron participated on strafing and bombing missions against then-Japanese held Kiska during the Aleutian Islands Campaign. The squadron then transferred to England in January 1944 and flew attack and long-range bomber escort sorties in Northwest Europe, claiming over 58 enemy aircraft and hundreds of vehicles, locomotives and rail cars. The squadron was disbanded in England in 1945 following the end of hostilities, and reformed a year later at RCAF Station Sea Island as an auxiliary fighter squadron, and later redesignated as an auxiliary transport squadron. It was again disbanded in 1964 and reformed during the 1968 unification of the Canadian Forces as 442 Communications and Rescue Squadron at CFB Comox before being redesignated to its current name and role a few months later. Since then, 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron has become the busiest search and rescue unit in the country