Sub-Lieutenant Clark Edward Reiffenstein, S.C. (deceased)
Star of Courage
The late SLt Clark Edward Reiffenstein, of Montreal, a navigation officer on HMCS Kootenay made repeated efforts to rescue crew members following the explosion and fire which occurred on the ship on October 23, 1969. HMCS Kootenay, one of seven "Restigouche"-class destroyer-escorts in the Canadian navy was conducting full-power trials on October 23, 1969, in the western approaches to the English Channel with eight other Canadian ships. At 8:21 in the morning there was an explosion in the engine room. Intense heat, flame and smoke engulfed the engine room almost immediately and spread to adjacent passageways and to the boiler room. SLt Reiffenstein put on "aqua-lung" equipment, underwater gear not designed for use in fire-fighting, to enable him to breathe and function in the smoke and heat-filled deck immediately above the scene of the explosion and fire in the engine room. He saw that those in the area of the ship's cafeteria got clear to safer parts of the ship, dragging one man to safety who had been overcome by smoke. Then SLt Reiffenstein made his way into the boiler room to see that it was cleared and eventually turned his breathing apparatus over to the Petty Officer who stayed behind in the boiler room to maintain steam pressure necessary for operating the firefighting equipment. SLt Reiffenstein survived the disaster aboard HMCS Kootenay but died several months later.