Ken Summers
Born (1944-07-20) July 20, 1944 (age 79)
St. Thomas, Canada
Allegiance Canada
Service/branch Royal Canadian Navy
Canadian Forces Maritime Command
Years of service1963–2000
RankRear Admiral
Commands heldCanadian Forces Middle East (Gulf War)
Battles/warsPersian Gulf War
  • Operation Friction (1990-1991)
AwardsCanadian Forces' Decoration

Rear-Admiral Kenneth J. Summers CD (born July 20, 1944) is a Canadian retired naval officer, best known for being the commander of the Canadian contingent of the Persian Gulf War coalition.

Early life and education

Summers was born July 20, 1944, and graduated from Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, in 1967 before serving as an officer both at sea and in several postings ashore. In 1989 he was promoted to commodore and appointed Commander Canadian Fleet and Chief of Staff Operations in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the appointment he was holding when Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990.

Career

Summers assumed command of the Canadian Naval Task Force that sailed from Halifax to the Persian Gulf, and upon arrival he was appointed Commander Canadian Forces Middle East, with headquarters in Bahrain. All Canadian naval, air and land forces in the Gulf came under his command during the implementation of Operation Friction, where Canadian naval and air units engaged in combat for the first time since the Korean War.

After the Persian Gulf War, Summers served in Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters (MARPAC HQ) as Chief of Staff to Commander MARPAC 1991. He was promoted to rear admiral and was appointed as a Commander Canadian Defence Liaison Staff Washington in 1992. He served in National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa as Chief of Personnel Planning and Resources Management 1994 and as Director General Maritime Development 1995. He was appointed Chief of Staff Operations, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1997 to 2000. He retired in 2000.

Awards and decorations

Summers's personal awards and decorations include the following:








Ribbon Description Notes
Order of Military Merit (OMM)
  • Appointed Officer (OMM) on 12 December 1988[1]
Meritorious Service Cross (MSC)
  • Decoration awarded on 30 August 1991[2]
  • Military division (Citation)[3]
Gulf and Kuwait Medal
  • with Clasp 1991
Special Service Medal
  • with NATO-OTAN Clasp
125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 1992
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 2012[4]
  • Canadian version
Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)
  • with two Clasp for 32 years of services
Commander of the Legion of Merit
  • Decoration awarded 20 January 1996[5]
  • Officer level
  • United States United States award
Bronze Star Medal
  • Decoration awarded DD MMM YYYY
  • United States United States award
Order of King Abdulaziz
  • Decoration awarded DD MMM YYYY
  • Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia award

References

  1. ^ "Order of Military Merit List". The Governor General of Canada.
  2. ^ "Meritorious Service Decorations List". The Governor General of Canada.
  3. ^ "Commodore Summers was the commander of Canadian Forces Middle East before and during the Gulf War. He played a key role throughout, from the initial planning for Canadian naval involvement to the successful conclusion of operations after a period of active hostilities. His outstanding leadership and professionalism, and his exceptional performance of his duties, had a positive impact within the Canadian Forces, amongst our allies, and with the Canadian public."
  4. ^ "The Queen Diamond Jubilee Medal List". The Governor General of Canada. 11 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Canada Gazette, Part I (1947-1997), vol. 130, no. 11, Regular Issue, March 16, 1996". The Governor General of Canada.

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