Finnish Forces

Long range patrol leader

Viljo Suokas (1920–1943), Knight of the Mannerheim Cross No.44. When Winter War begun in 1939, Viljo was civil guard boy with no actual military training and first served in homefront sentry duties. He soon volunteered to army service and after short training was sent to 34th Infantry Regiment fighting at Kollaa, and was later moved to Sissi Detachment 12 operating in the same area. His skills in guerilla style warfare was noticed and after Winter War he received special training for long range patrol missions. In Continuation War Suokas served as patrol leader in Detachment Kuismanen (OsKu), and gained lots of reputation as very capable and skillful leader. He was credited for many successful reconnaissance and sabotage missions, and capturing important prisoners, killing high ranking enemy officers and bringing files with valuable information. Suokas was wounded at Karhumäki on November 26, 1941. Longest time he spent behind enemy lines was 46 days. Viljo Suokas died on October 4, 1943, soon after he was wounded to his stomach while clearing a storage building of small enemy logistics center at Segezha, a town by the Murmansk railway.