Town mourns loss of former mayor

Ken Johnston

On Friday Rainy River mourned one of its most decorated World War II veterans, Don Budreau, who passed away a week earlier at the age of 90.
The funeral was well attended and had dignitaries from Legions right across the region as well as politicians.
Budreau was born in Rainy River in 1916 and spent his first 11 years here before moving to Winnipeg to complete his high school. For a time he worked in the mining industry in Red Lake, Ont. and eventually on boats hauling radium ore down the MacKenzie River in the Northwest Territories.
In 1940 he moved back to Winnipeg where he took up the upholstering business and also met his wife Dode. They were married in 1941.
After their marriage Don studied mathematics and physics at the University of Manitoba which directed him to a career in navigation.
May 11, 1942 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Finnishing 5th in his class he was posted to Pearce, Alberta to Navigational School Training School where he completed his training on Feb. 15, 1943.
In March he was sent overseas to Scotland where the RCAF men were combined with the Royal Air Force troops. His first crew consisted of three Canadians and three Englishmen and they were posted to East Yorkshire, England with the RAF #158 Squadron.
They began training on two engine Wellington bombers but eventually ended up on the four engine Halifax III bombers with Don as Navigator.
Their first three missions were completed without any major trouble; just the jitters. An average mission was six hours and 1,300 miles long but their next mission was eight hours. While they dropped tin foil to scramble German radar, the length of the trip allowed the enemy to vector in on the attack group. Undergoing three attacks that night Don’s bomber sustained some damage. Upon returning to base they could not get the hatch on the plane open to get out. Don climbed out a window and jumped to the ground to open the door. However, as luck would have it he broke his foot and was not able to continue with the crew while he healed. During that time his crew was shot down. Only two of them survived with one being taken prisoner of war and the other being picked up by the French underground. That bad luck may very well have been good luck for him.
Don returned to flying just in time to participate in the D-Day Invasion. The bombers played a crucial role in the opening up of the front for allied ground troops to invade.
On March 5, 1945, he completed his tour with 36 trips under his belt with a normal tour being 32. Considering the chance of anyone making 30 trips was 1 in 3, Don was very fortunate.
He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross, Europe, France and Germany Stars, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and two Canadian Defense Medals. The Distinguished Flying Cross was presented to only 520 Canadians for the display of the “utmost courage, fortitude and devotion to duty.”
After the war Don and Dode lived in Winnipeg a short time before moving back to his home town where he took up commercial fishing and other lake employment. In 1951 he hired on with Canada Customs where he remained until he retired in 1977.
Budreau also tried his hand at politics getting elected to Rainy River Town Council and to the Mayor’s Office twice.
He was president of the Legion and a member of the Masons. Don was active in his church (Knox United) and just about anything that he felt was good for Rainy River.
The testament to how deeply his passing was felt in Rainy River was the giant Legion Memorial Flag flying at half mast for the past week. He will truly be missed. Lest We Forget.