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• | Paul Cote, a law student at the University of British Columbia |
• | Jim Bohlen, a former deep-sea diver and radar operator in the US Navy |
• | Irving Stowe, a Quaker and Yale-educated lawyer |
• | Patrick Moore, ecology student at the University of British Columbia |
• | Bill Darnell, a social worker |
Darnell came up with the dynamic combination of words to bind
together the group's concern for the planet and opposition to nuclear
arms. In the words of Bob Hunter, "Somebody flashed two fingers
as we were leaving the church basement and said "Peace!" Bill said
"Let's make it a Green Peace. And we all went Ommmmmmmm."
Jim Bohlen's son Paul, having trouble making the two words fit on a button, linked them together into the committee's new name: Greenpeace.
Marie Bohlen was the first to suggest taking a ship up to Amchtka to oppose the US plans. The group organised a boat, the Phyllis Cormack, and set
sail to Amchitka to "bear witness" (a Quaker tradition
of silent protest) to the nuclear test. On board were:
• | Captain John Cormack, the boat's owner |
• | Jim Bohlen, Greenpeace |
• | Bill Darnell, Greenpeace |
• | Patrick Moore, Greenpeace |
• | Dr Lyle Thurston, medical practitioner |
• | Dave Birmingham, engineer |
• | Terry Simmons, cultural geographer |
• | Richard Fineberg, political science teacher |
• | Robert Hunter, journalist |
• | Ben Metcalfe, journalist |
• | Bob Cummings, journalist |
• | Bob Keziere, photographer |
Stowe, who suffered from sea-sickness, stayed on shore to coordinate
political pressure. Cote stayed behind too, because he was about
to represent Canada in an Olympic sailing race.
Bob Hunter would take the lessons of that first voyage forward and improvise upon them to the point
that he, more than anyone else, invented Greenpeace's brand of
individual activism.
The Amchitka voyage established the group's name in Canada. Greenpeace's
next journey spread their reputation across the world.
• | Nigel Ingram, ex-Royal Navy |
• | Roger Haddleton, ex-Royal Navy |
• | Grant Davidson, a good cook |
Their ship was rammed, and on his return the next year McTaggart was
beaten by French commandos to the point where he lost vision in one
eye. An epic battle played out in media around the world as a
tiny ship challenged one of the greatest military forces on Earth.
For the next two decades, McTaggart would vie with the French
government over nuclear weapons testing at sea and in the courts,
and rise to the leadership of Greenpeace worldwide. At a point
when separatist Greenpeace national and regional entities were taking
legal action against one another, the successful businessman and
athlete stepped in and settled the arguments by founding Greenpeace
International.
David McTaggart died in a car crash in Italy 23 March 2001.