Allegiance Canada Years of service 1956–1989 | Rank General Name Gerard Edouard | |
Born June 5, 1932
Gaspe, Quebec ( 1932-06-05 ) Died October 13, 1998(1998-10-13) (aged 66)
Victoria, British Columbia Service/branch Royal Canadian Air Force / Canadian Forces Awards Commander of the Order of Military Merit
Canadian Forces Decoration | ||
General Gérard Charles Édouard Thériault, CMM, CD (born Gaspé, Quebec, Canada on June 5, 1932 – died October 13, 1998 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) was Chief of the Defence Staff between 1983 and 1986.
Military service
Thériault graduated from Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University). He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1951. His first solo flight, where he earned his wings, took place on June 5, 1952 in a Harvard aircraft. He was a proponent of the unification of the military of Canada. He moved to the Collège Militaire Royal (CMR), St-Jean, Qué, now Royal Military College Saint-Jean and served as Vice-Commandant from 1967 to 1970. Promoted to Colonel, he became commandant of the CMR in 1970. In 1971, he was assigned command of Canadian Forces Base Bagotville in Northern Québec. In 1973, he was promoted to Brigadier General and took over command of 1 CAG (First Canadian Air Group) in Germany. In 1975, he was promoted to Major General and assumed command of Air Command in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1977, he was transferred to Ottawa as the CADO (Chief, Air Doctrine Operations). In 1979, he was installed as the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (DCDS). In 1980, he became Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and Chief of the Defence Staff in 1983 before retiring in 1986. He was President of AEG Canada Inc. until 1995.