John Valter Nordgren (1899, Viipuri - 1968, Helsinki), Knight of the Mannerheim Cross #60.

John volunteered to take part in capture of Helsinki during the Finnish Civil War of 1918 and served in army ever since. He worked in Finnish Army HQ at Mikkeli during the Winter War and commanded 4th Infantry Regiment of 8th Division in Continuation War. He then led Jäger Brigade in Lapland War until demobilization. Colonel Nordgren retired from active service in July 1946.

Nordgren proved to be skillful commander when he led his men fast in attack operations of 1941, and in several cases conducted swift flanking manouvers through most difficult roadless areas, cutting enemy supply routes and prevented enemy from getting reinforcements, this way crucially effecting result of many battles. The Mannerheim Cross (2nd class) was awarded to him on May 15, 1942.

Other decorations:
Cross of Liberty 1st, 2nd & 3rd class with swords
Iron Cross 2nd class

Promotions:
Vänrikki (Second Lieutenant) - March 31, 1920
Luutnantti (First Lieutenant) - December 6, 1920
Kapteeni (Captain) - December 6, 1926
Majuri (Major) - December 6, 1933
Everstiluutnantti (Lieutenant Colonel) - April 4, 1940
Eversti (Colonel) - August 6, 1942

John Valter Nordgren

Finnish soldier with anti-tank mines. 1941-1944

Anti-tank mines

Assisted by two aircraftmen sitting over the wing, because the forward narrow visibility during the ground operations typical of aircrafts with the tailwheel, a Finnish fighter pilot taxiing over a snowy runway with his Fiat G.50. Note the propeller spinner, Swedish made, adopted by Finnish Air Force on her Italian fighters to give protection at propeller’s setting system from hard winter avoiding the freezing of lube oil. Finland ordered 35 Fiat G.50s at the end of 1939 and the first 10 aircraft were to be delivered before February 1940. A group of Finnish pilots arrived in Italy for a training course of 10 hours at Guidonia airport, near Rome, and later at Fiat Aviazione in Turin and again at the Furbara Firing Range, near Rome. On a training flight, Lieutenant Tapani Harmaja during a dive from 3,500 meters, reached an estimated speed of 780 km/h, considered excessive for the structural integrity of the aircraft (the windscreen was damaged in the process). Germany hindered the transit of the aircraft, consequently, the G.50s were disassembled and embarked in La Spezia harbor on a Norwegian ship that set sail on 20 January, bound for Turku, Finland. Upon some sources, due to this delay the first G.50s did not reach HLevLv 26 at Utti, until February 1940. Victor Sierra