Finnish Forces

Viljo Suokas in 1941

Viljo Valter Suokas (1920–1943) long range patrol leader and Knight of the Mannerheim Cross #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 the front and after short training was put as rifleman to JR 34 (Infantry Regiment) and was later moved to Sissiosasto 12 (Guerilla detachment). He fought in battles of Ladoga Karelia, including the Battle of Kollaa. After Winter War he had to do his conscript military service which lasted for a year and included training for long range patrols. In Continuation War he served as patrol leader in OsKu (Detachment Kuismanen) until 1943 when he was put to officer course and then moved to ErP 4 (Seperate Battalion 4) as 2nd lieutenant. During the war Suokas gained lots of reputation as very capable and skillful guerilla leader. He was credited for many successful reconnaissance and sabotage missions, killing high ranking enemy officers, capturing important prisoners and files with valuable information. On October 4, 1943, Lt. Suokas was mortally wounded while clearing a storage building of enemy logistics center at Segezha, a town by the Murmansk railway.