Tauno Iisalo (1916-1947) the Knight of the Mannerheim Cross #168, holding his son Matti. Tauno started his career in Finnish Airforce in 1938 and completed Reserve Officer School and twin engine course just before the war. He served in 44th Bomber Squadron during the Winter War, but as a staff officer because he wasn't fully qualified pilot yet and there wasn't enought aircrafts. He completed his pilot training in 1941 and served in same squadron throughout Continuation War and in Lapland War. He destroyed several tanks and trains already on his first mission and later sunk atleast one large transport vessel and damaged many others. Alltogether he flew 127 bombing, long range reconnaissance and photographing missions in 1941-1945. He was awarded the Mannerheim Cross on December 21, 1944. His youngest brother Pentti received the cross already in 1941 and procedure was not to award it to members of same family, so that "good name" couldn't effect the decision. He may have been allowed to receive the Mannerheim Cross because of different service branch than his brother's. Tauno Iisalo died in flight accident in 1947, flying the same Ju 88 that is in the background.

Tauno Iisalo

Lieutenants Viljo Iisalo (1914-1983), Tauno Iisalo (1916-1947), Aulis Iisalo (1918-2007) and Cadet Pentti Iisalo (1920-2008) photographed in their mother's funerals in July 1942. Exceptionally two brothers, Pentti (in 1941) and Tauno (in 1944) were awarded with the Mannerheim Cross and Aulis was also a nominee for the cross. Note that Viljo still has his arm in "package" after it was torn by exploding bullet six months earlier, so badly that it was close to being amputated.

The Iisalo warrior brothers

Portrait of Viljo Iisalo (1914-1983) just after his promotion to Vänrikki (2nd Lieutenant). He started his conscript military service in 1936 and graduated from Reserve Officer School as 2nd Lieutenant in 1938. He spent most of the Winter War training new NCO's until the last week of the war, when he was sent to fight in Vyborg Bay, where he successfully led group consisting of old men and boys who had only had 2 months of military training. In Continuation War he trained new NCO's for first couple of weeks and then served as platoon leader in 2nd Jaeger Battalion, and fought in battles from Ladoga Karelia to Svir river, Petroskoi, Karhumäki, Poventsa and Suurniemi, where his arm was badly torn by exploding bullet during a battle in January 1942. His superior officers wanted to nominee him for the Mannerheim Cross, for his actions so far in the war, but their brigade commander knew about procedure of it not being awarded to members of same family twice, and his brother Pentti had already received it. The arm was badly damaged and required over a year of treatment in different military hospitals. In one of them he met a nurse who he married in December 1942. Viljo Iisalo was discharged from duty in June 1943 as a war invalid. According to his brother Pentti he would have deserved the Mannerheim Cross more than any of the brothers because he was possibly the bravest one and a natural leader capable of handing even the most difficult situations.