HMCS ATHABASKAN R79 / 219

Tribal Class Destroyer

The last of her class to be completed, "Athabee" was commissioned at Halifax on 20 Jan 1948, and sailed in mid-May 1948 for the west coast, where she trained new entries and officer cadets until the outbreak of the Korean War. She sailed from Esquimalt on 05 Jul 1950, for the first of three tours of duty in Korean waters, returning 11 Dec 1953, from the last of them. 

HMCS ATHABASKAN'S tours in Korea:

1st Tour: Departed Esquimalt: 05 Jul 1950  //  Arrived in Op Area: 30 Jul 50  //  Departed Op Area: 03 May 51  //  Arrived in Esquimalt: 17 May 51

2nd Tour: Departed Esquimalt: 02 Aug 1951  //  Arrived in Op Area: 01 Sep 51  //  Departed Op Area: 21 Jun 52  //  Arrived Esquimalt: 09 Jul 1952

3rd Tour: Departed Esquimalt: 29 Oct 1952  //  Arrived in Op Area: 26 Nov 52  //  Departed Op Area: 18 Nov 53  //  Arrived in Esquimalt: 11 Dec 1953

In Oct 1954, she emerged from an extensive conversion classed as a destroyer escort, and resumed her training role.  On 07 Aug 1955, while on a Pacific Training Cruise with HMCS CAYUGA, HMCS ATHABASKAN docked at Long Beach, California, with a stowaway on board. Joycelyn Joan Pilapil, a 16 year old Hawaiian girl, had hid in the after awning stores and was discovered there the day after the ship sailed from Hilo. She was turned over to authorities in Long Beach and was eventually returned to Hilo.

Click here to read a newspaper article on Joycelyn Pilipil

In Jan 1959, HMCS ATHABASKAN left for the east coast to become part of a homogeneous Tribal class squadron. On 16 Feb 1959, HMCS ATHABASKAN and HMCS CAYUGA arrived in Halifax. Their west coast crews returned to BC with HMCS ST LAURENT and HMCS SAGUENAY.

In Nov/Dec 1959, during a 6-week deployment that included a NATO Exercise, HMCS BONAVENTURE, in company with HMCS ALGONQUIN, HMCS IROQUOIS, HMCS SIOUX and HMCS ATHABASKAN encounter a major storm that battered the squadron.

Four newspaper articles on the Nov/Dec 1959 deployment during which 5 RCN sailors died.

In the summer of 1963, BONAVENTURE was conducting exercises in the North Atlantic with ATHABASKAN as her plane guard. One one occasion, while conducting a RAS with ATHABASKAN, the two ships collided. The BONAVENTURE received some minor damage, while ATHABASKAN'S was more serious.

The following write-up on the collision was submitted by Donald (Bud) Rose, RCN(R): In 1962 when ships of the Destroyer Escort Squadrons were being re-assigned, HMCS ATHABASKAN proceeded to Marine Industries Ltd. at Sorel Quebec. There she would undergo a major refit which was completed by midsummer 1963, but her radar system was not. ATHABASKAN was one of only two ships with this type Radar System, (Cayuga was the other) and any repairs had to be carried out at Portsmouth England. Following her work-ups, ATHABASKAN was assigned as "plane guard' for the aircraft carrier HMCS BONAVENTURE, exercising in the North Atlantic. From there, ATHABASKAN was to proceed to Portsmouth England for radar refitting. During a refueling operation in mid Atlantic, the two ships struck each other with the ATHABASKAN receiving serious damage.

Following the collision, HMCS BONAVENTURE proceeded to Invergordon, Scotland to the former WW II Royal Naval Base and ship refueling facility. While damage to the Carrier's Hull was minimal, her fuel supply was below the accepted permissible level. Invergordon, Scotland was the nearest docking facility capable of docking an air craft carrier. HMCS ATHABASKAN received considerably more damage to her super structure and communication aerials than the "Bonnie". Without the required fuel she was to receive from the Carrier, ATHABASKAN had to make way to the nearest port which could facilitate her requirements. This port was the shipyards of Hartland and Wolff in Belfast - Northern Ireland. Having received temporary repairs, HMCS ATHABASKAN proceeded on her mission which was the overhaul of her radar system at Portsmouth England - a service not available in Canada. Permanent repairs necessitated by the collision with HMCS BONAVENTURE at sea, would now be carried out at Portsmouth. (click here to view 4 photos taken during the collision)

On 01 Mar 1964, ATHABASKAN rescued 34 of 36 crew members from the Liberian tanker Amphialos which broke up and sank approx 250 nautical miles south of Liverpool, NS. After 2 more years of service she was placed in reserve at Halifax and, on 21 Apr 1966, paid off for disposal. She was broken up at La Spezia, Italy, in 1970.

RCN Memories:     Trials and Tribulations

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          The Ship's Bell

Shipboard Newspaper - Christmas Edition - Dec 1951 - From the collection of Donald Lory

Don Russell recalls life aboard Athabaskan during the Korean War

Commanding Officers

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Y

Z

Former Crew Members

Photos and Documents

The launching of HMCS ATHABASKAN (R79) at Halifax shipyards on 04 May 1946

Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum

Newspaper articles on the mutiny onboard HMCS ATHABASKAN on 26 Feb 1949

Courtesy of Bill Kelleramn

HMCS ATHABASKAN completes trials after refit

The Daily Colonist, Victoria, BC, 12 Apr 1950

Cordite smoke drifts from HMCS ATHABASKAN as she bombards targets on an island in the Taechon approaches. The destroyer, battered gun emplacements and destroyed warehouses and barracks. Photo originally published in CROWSNEST Magazine Vol. 3, No. 1, November, 1950

ATHABASKAN Bombards Military Targets

Newspaper article from the Belleville Intelligencer, 02 Oct 1950

Source: Belleville Public Library microfilm collection

Researched and complied by: © John Lyons 2018

Harry Driemel on HMCS ATHABASKAN - 1950

From the collection of Harry Driemel

Courtesy of Daryl Driemel

GH01

(GH01) Daily Orders - HMCS ATHABASKAN, Sasebo, Japan, Christmas Day, 25 Dec 1950

"HMCS ATHABASKAN Dec. 1950 - We were not going to be in port for X-mas but something happened and we had to go into dry dock for repairs. This resulted in a wild party as the rum for that few days that was left over from the issue instead of being tipped over the side was split to the crew; plus what was smuggled aboard was mixed in mess deck buckets. That's the way I remember it. I do not remember what happened to the turkey."

(GH02) A "Korean" Christmas Card HMCS ATHABASKAN

(GH03) HMCS ATHABASKAN 219 TAS dept. - 1950

(GH04) Sailors from ATHABASKAN at a British canteen, Sasebo, Japan, 1950 - Bill Dziadyk (1st on left), Gordon Howard (1st on right)

Courtesy of Gordon Howard

WD03

(WD03) Last five minute ashore ..... HMCS ATHABASKAN readies to depart for her 1st Korean War tour

Newspaper article from the Victoria Daily Times - 06 Jul 1950

Crew listed in the article: Cook William Dziadyk; Cdr R.P. Welland, CO; CPO Charles N. Stroud; and, AB David Burke

(WD04-WD07) Cooks on HMCS ATHABASKAN during her 1st Korean War Tour

(WD07) Cook Bill Dziadyk

(WD08) Ed Melenka and Bill Dziadyk (right), Sasebo, Japan

(WD09) Bill Dziadyk on HMCS ATHABASKAN

(WD10) Bill Dziadyk on guard duty

(WD11-WD15) Bill Dziadyk touring Sasebo, Japan

  (WD16-WD17) Bill Dziadyk touring Sasebo, Japan

 (WWD18) Bill and unknown friend/shipmate - location unknown

(WD19) Landing party returning to HMCS ATHABASKAN

(WD20) Unknown sailors on HMCS ATHABASKAN  

(WD21-WD24) Harbour scenes - location unknown

(WD25) Unknown warship at sea

From the collection of William (Bill) C. Dziadyk

Courtesy of Bill Dziakyk

(SH62) Station card of Steve Hlasny on HMCS ATHABASKAN

(SH63) HMCS ATHABASKAN 219 departing Pearl Harbour for Korea - 1952

(SH127) Fleet Regatta, June 1957 - HMCS ATHABASKAN entry. Photo taken from HMCS ONTARIO

From the collection of Steve Hlasny, CPO2.LT

Ed Chadwick's photos from HMCS ATHABASKAN'S 1st Korean War tour

(1) Ed Chadwick on HMCS ATHABASKAN  (2) Jim MacKenzie on HMCS ATHABASKAN  (3) Unknown Chief on HMCS ATHABASKAN  (4) Harling and Harrah on HMCS ATHABASKAN  (5) HMCS ATHABASKAN in drydock at Sasebo, Japan  (6) Ed Chadwick with Peatman and Colley  (7) Ed Chadwick, HMCS ATHABASKAN, Christmas 1950  (8) Cdr Welland (right), Commanding Officer HMCS ATHABASKAN 13 Mar 1950 - 02 Jul 1951  (9) Electricians and Comm Rates on HMCS ATHABASKAN  (10) Ed Chadwick with Peatman and Klause on HMCS ATHABASKAN  (11) Ed Chadwick on HMCS ATHABASKAN, Kure, Japan - 1951  (12) Harrah, Peatman, Harling, Ledingham  (13) Electrical Party, HMCS ATHABASKAN, Feb 1951.  Front (L-R) C2 John Knox;  C2. Charlie Moser;  C2 Jim Sharpe;  C2 Gordon Taylor;  P1 Ron Emmerson;  C2 Jim Cottrell  C2 John Rogers; P1 Len Jackson; Back, 1st on right), Mahduik, John.  (this photo is also posted on ship's company photo page)  (14) Newton, Harrah, Latimer, Maduik, Rennie & Chadwick, HMCS ATHABASKAN

(15) Slinging a clean hammock, HMCS ATHABASKAN  (16) Electricians on HMCS ATHABASKAN - 1950  (17) At the brow of HMCS ATHABASKAN - 1950  (18) Ledingham and Harling, Kure, Japan - 1950  (19) Gordon Berry, Kure, Japan - 1950  (20) Gordon Berry, Kure, Japan - 1950  (21) Dick Pollock on HMCS ATHABASKAN, Kure, Japan - 1950  (22) Peatman and MacKenzie on HMCS ATHABASKAN, Kure, Japan - 1950  (23) Ed Dalton and John Corbett on HMCS ATHABASKAN, Kure, Japan - 1950  (24) On Patrol, Jan 1951 - taking on supplies  (25) On Patrol 1951- Bofor taking aim  (26) On Patrol 1951 - Top, port side forward  (27) On Patrol 1951 - HMNZS Tutira approaching HMCS ATHABASKAN  (28) On Patrol 1951 - HMCS ATHABASKAN following astern of HMS Theseus

(29) On Patrol 1951 - HMS Comus coming alongside HMCS ATHABASKAN  (30) On Patrol 1951 - HMCS Huron Astern - Rescue Station  (31) On Patrol 1951 - HMCS ATHABASKAN transferring mail to HMCS Cayuga 218  (32) On Patrol, Jan 1951 - South Korean refugees escaping down the coast  (33) On Patrol 1951 - Interrogating Korean Fishermen  (34) On Patrol 1951 - Korean Fishermen on their way  (35) HMCS ATHABASKAN Fo'c's'le Party  (36) Yokusuka visit - Midget submarine - Feb 1951  (37) Don Lory and Jake Ellis, Imperial Palace, Japan - Feb 1951  (38) Yokusuka visit - Imperial Palace - Feb 195  (39) HMCS ATHABASKAN in Kure Drydock, Mar 1951  (40) HMCS ATHABASKAN alongside Sasebo, Japan, 1951  (41) HMCS ATHABASKAN alongside Sasebo, Japan, 1951  (42) Ed Chadwick on HMCS ATHABASKAN, Sasebo, Japan, 1951

(43) Kure, Japan - 1951  (44) Sasebo Harbour, Japan - 1951  (45) John Peatman, HMCS ATHABASKAN -1951  (46) Ed Chadwick (right), HMCS ATHABASKAN - 1951  (47) Lt Olsen, John Peatman, Lt Clarence Alfred Sturgeon, Ordnance Officer  (48) MacArthur, Klause, HMCS ATHABASKAN - 1951 (49) Ed Chadwick looking a little under the weather - 1951  (50-55) Ed Chadwick, Lory Ledingham and others hiking in the Sasebo Hills - 1951  (56) Hong Kong - 1951

(57-59) HMCS Nootka, HMCS Cayuga, HMCS ATHABASKAN at a buoy, Sasebo, Japan, Mar 1951  (60) Award of Korean Presidential Citation to HMCS ATHABASKAN  (61) Nute Harrah and Ed Chadwick flying back to Canada via CP Air, Apr 1951

From the collection of Ed Chadwick, CPO, LM / ET, RCN, ret'd

Ed served in HMCS ATHABASKAN 1950 - 1951

Courtesy of Ed Chadwick