page_title: 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron
section_title: Commanding Officers
hierarchical_section_title: 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron / Commanding Officers
caption_attribution_description: English: Squadron Leader Jack Jack Rife DFC &amp; bar. CO 438 Sqn killed in flying accident on1 June 1945
context_page_description: 438 "City of Montreal" Tactical Helicopter Squadron is a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operates the CH-146 Griffon tactical helicopter from the Hartland de Montarville Molson Hangar of CFB St. Hubert in Quebec, Canada. Its tasks include armed and unarmed tactical utility transport, training aircrew personnel in basic and advanced aviation tactics, technical training of groundcrew personnel and flight engineers and the periodic maintenance of CH-146 fleet aircraft. They also include as residual capabilities search and rescue, reconnaissance and support to federal, provincial and local law enforcement agencies. A "total force" unit composed of members of the Regular Force, and both full time and part time reservists, the squadron is part of 1 Wing at CFB Kingston Ontario.
  The motto Going Down was adopted during the Second World War when operating on Hawker Typhoon fighter bombers over occupied Europe. This was the flight leader's instruction to begin diving attacks with bombs, cannons or both.
  The unit badge is the Wildcat and described in heraldic terms as: d'Argent, the head of a wildcat affront Gules, langued Azure.
context_section_description: Squadron Leader Marcel C. Dubuc (12 May 1936 - 31 August 1939)
  Squadron Leader Adelard Raymond, C.B.E. (1 September 1939 - 29 July 1940)
  Flight Lieutenant Guy Vadeboncoeur (30 July 1940 - 27 September 1940)
  Flight Lieutenant Eric Walter Beardmore (13 December 1940 - 4 April 1941)
  Wing Commander Ernest Archibald McNab O.B.E., D.F.C. (5 April 1941 - 22 July 1941)
  Squadron Leader Hartland de Montarville Molson, O.C., O.B.E., Q.C. (23 July 1941 - 14 June 1942)
  Squadron Leader Arthur McLeod Yuile (15 June 1942 - 27 February 1943)
  Squadron Leader Frank George Grant, D.S.O., D.F.C., Croix de Guerre (France), Airman's Cross (Netherlands) (28 February 1943 - 28 July 1944)
  Squadron Leader Jack Rife Beirnes, D.F.C. & Bar (29 July 1944 - 13 October 1944)
  Squadron Leader Ross Frederick Reid, D.F.C. (14 October 1944 - 29 December 1944)
  Acting Squadron Leader Peter Wilson (31 December 1944 - KIA 1 January 1945)
  Squadron Leader James Easson Hogg, D.F.C. (20 Janvier 1945 - KIA 23 March 1945)
  Flight Lieutenant Robert Edward Spooner, D.F.C. (23 March 1945 - 5 April 1945)
  Squadron Leader Jack Rife Beirnes, D.F.C. & Bar (6 April 1945 - KIA 1 June 1945)
  Squadron Leader Paul Bissky (4 June 1945 - 26 August 1945)
  Wing Commander Claude Hebert, D.F.C. (15 April 1946 - 14 May 1950)
  Wing Commander Andre Rene Morrissette, A.F.C. (15 May 1950 - 14 February 1952)
  Wing Commander Guy Valois (15 February 1952 - 14 February 1955)
  Wing Commander Al Gauthier, C.D. (15 February 1955 - 14 November 1960)
  Wing Commander Laurent Gagne, C.D. (15 November 1960 - 31 October 1963)
  Wing Commander James Fischer, C.D. (1 November 1963 - 30 August 1967)
  Wing Commander Al Gamble, C.D. (31 August 1967 - 31 January 1968)
  Lieutenant colonel John Perodeau, C.D. (1968 - 1973)
  Lieutenant colonel Herb Laviolette, C.D. (1973 - 1974)
  Lieutenant colonel Gerry McDougall, C.D. (1974 - 1977)
  Lieutenant colonel Peter Carver, C.D. (1977 - 1979)
  Lieutenant colonel Jean Cadorel, C.D. (1979 - 6 December 1981)
  Lieutenant colonel Ed McKeogh, C.D. (6 December 1981 - 1 October 1983)
  Lieutenant colonel Pierre Beauchamp, C.D. (1 October 1983 - 19 January 1986)
  Lieutenant colonel John Guimond, C.D. (19 January 1986 - 31 March 1990)
  Lieutenant colonel Henri Cardinal, C.D. (31 March 1990 - 13 June 1993)
  Lieutenant colonel Gilles Trepanier, C.D. (13 June 1993 - 23 April 1994)
  Major Daniel Poirier, C.D. (3 April 1994 - 22 June 1996)
  Lieutenant colonel Jean-Marc Hivon, C.D. (22 June 1996 - 20 March 1999)
  Lieutenant colonel Jean Egan, C.D. (20 March 1999 - 18 August 2001)
  Lieutenant colonel Michel Desgroseillers, C.D. (18 August 2001 - 27 August 2005)
  Lieutenant colonel Luc Martineau, C.D. (27 August 2005 - 14 August 2010)
  Lieutenant colonel Rene Therrien, C.D. (14 August 2010 - 15 June 2012)
  Lieutenant colonel Pierre Barma, C.D. (15 June 2012 - 27 June 2014)
  Lieutenant colonel Gilbert L. McCauley, MSM, C.D. (27 June 2014 - 23 June 2016)
  Lieutenant colonel Martin Pesant, C.D. (23 June 2016 – 24 May 2018)
  Lieutenant colonel Martin Houle, C.D., (24 May 2018 to 7 July 2020)
  Lieutenant colonel Stéphane St-Onge, C.D., (7 July 2020 to present)
caption: Squadron Leader Jack Rife Beirnes, DFC & bar. CO 438 Sqn killed in flying accident on 1 June 1945
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