1932-1989

Tom McKay

Thomas (Tom) McKay was born on June 10, 1932, in Toronto, Ontario. He served as a Paratrooper with the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. In September 1952, he was on patrol on Hill 355 near Seoul when a young soldier who was sitting in a bunker next to him accidentally fired a loaded Bren gun while examining it. The shot shattered his right leg. After an 11-hour car ride to the nearest MASH unit, doctors tried to save his leg but, ultimately, it was amputated below the knee at a hospital further away in Taegu. Mr. McKay needed more medical assistance, so he was shipped home to a military hospital in Toronto, where he underwent further surgery to remove his leg above the knee.

Soon after, in 1954, he became a member of The War Amps Toronto Branch. In his personal life, he had a successful career as a reporter for the Toronto Star.

Mr. McKay passed away on December 28, 1989.
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