Finnish Forces

Navy knight

Photographer: 2Lt. Sjöblom / SA-kuva

Captain Lieutenant Jouko Pirhonen (1915-1996). Mikkeli, Finland. 19.12.1943. Served in Finnish Navy 1934-1974. During his wartime service he mostly commanded minelayers and motor torpedo boats, but also served as company commander in Battalion Aaltonen (infantry unit created of navy personnel) which took part in the Battle of Vyborg Bay at the end of the Winter War. He also served on Coastal Defense Ship Ilmarinen for a year, moving back to torpedo boat duties just 10 days before Ilmarinen sunk with most of her crew. In the same month his torpedo boat squad sunk a 800-ton minesweeper near Suursaari/Gogland Island, and later, in october 1941 he sunk two 450-ton Fugas minesweepers at the same island. He was wounded to his leg in 1942 during his 6 week secondment to 4th Schnellboot squadron of German Navy. At the end of the same year he infiltrated into the harbor of Lavansaari/Moshchny Island with three torpedo boats, sinking some 1700-ton gun boat "Krasnoje Znamja". For his merits Pirhonen received the Mannerheim Cross on June 4, 1943. By this time he had accomplished 63 attack-, mining-, and recon missions to enemy controlled waters and to enemy bases, sinking and damaging vessels without suffering any casualties. From 1942 to the end of the war, he served as commander of torpedo boat squadron at Gulf of Finland. By the end of the war the torpedo boats had been to 204 missions. Finnish Navy lost it's motor torpedo boats, along with submarines, when they were banned from Finland in Paris Peace Treaty in 1947. For the last 8 years of his military career (1966-74) Pirhonen was commander of the Finnish Navy. He was made honorary member of United States Naval Institute in 1971 and honorary member of Finnish Naval Officer Association in 1973. He died on May 23, 1996, and was survived by wife (died 2013) and two children (born 1940 & 1943). Ranks: Reservialiluutnantti (Reserve Sub-lieutenant) - 5.9.1935 Aliluutnantti (Sub-lieutenant) - 16.9.1937 Luutnantti (Lieutenant) - 16.9.1939 Kapteeniluutnantti (Captain lieutenant) - 9.12.1941 Komentajakapteeni (Commander Captain) - 18.7.1944 Komentaja (Commander) - 12.3.1956 Kommodori (Commadore) - 13.11.1961 Kontra-amiraali (Rear admiral) - 7.8.1966 Vara-amiraali (Vice admiral) - 5.7.1971