Beam me up, Scotty!

It was a bright sunny day, not all together typical of the Pacific Northwest; a small ship slipped her moorings and motored out onto Lake Union, just outside the bustling city of Seattle. On that ship was the cremated remains of Canadian war veteran James Doohan, born March 3, 1920, passed away July 20, 2005 at his home in Redmond, Washington.

Members of the Canadian Component McChord, AFB, Washington, were contacted by Paul Pritchard (Mr. Doohan’s son-in-law), who is a military Reservist working in McChord, and invited to a special memorial service August 3, 2005.

James Doohan Mr. Doohan liked to tell all his stories to everyone who would listen, as he was extremely proud of his Canadian and military heritage. “It was an honour and privilege to be included in this very private ceremony,” said Lt. Col. Michel Tremblay, commanding officer Cdn Component McChord AFB.

Mr. Doohan was a penultimate traveler. Conceived in Ireland, born in Vancouver, BC, he then traveled to Sarnia, Ont. where he grew up. He served during the Second World War and was wounded while landing at Juno Beach with the Royal Canadian Artillery. When he recovered, he learned to fly, joining the artillery Air Observation Post Flight, and soaring over the skies of England, France, Holland and Germany, directing artillery fire from the air.

Returning to Canada after the war, he pursued a career in radio drama, followed by stage, television and screen. His talents as a dialectician led to a variety of roles, but the one he achieved worldwide fame for was Scotty of “Star Trek”. This character inspired fans too numerous to count, and led him to speaking engagements and conventions around the globe.

“I was like many, a fan of the original show but only found out who James Doohan was after we started organizing this tribute,” said Lt. Col. G.Tremblay. – Maple Leaf

After note: a small vial with some remains will be released into space at later time.

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