Finnish Forces

Knight of the Mannerheim Cross and Blue Beret

Paavo Suoranta (1917-2002) Knight of the Mannerheim Cross #88. Suoranta fought on Karelian Isthmus during the Winter War, in ski troops of 8th Division and later learned skills for long range patrols when he was selected to the training during interim peace. He first served as radio operator and later as patrol leader in ErP 4 (Seperate Battalion 4) during the Continuation War. Suoranta participated in around 20 patrols and spent about 3 months behind enemy lines in total. He was wounded once on Karelian Isthmus in 1941. Paavo Suoranta later served in the UNEF peacekeepers and was deployed to Suez in 1956-1957.