Finnish Forces

Air observer

E.Nurmi / SA-kuva

Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, air observer, Lieutenant Paavo Elias Kahla (1918-1944). Värtsilä airfield, 2 August 1944. SA-kuva 159382 He flew Fokker C.X biplane in more than 300 sorties, 50 of them in the Winter War. The missions included reconnaissance, photographing, artillery observation, bombing, and supply drops to long range patrols behind enemy lines. He always completed the given mission even in bad weather or heavy anti-aircraft fire. Once, his pilot was killed and he had to climb to the front cockpit along the side of the plane, to get the aircraft back to base. The Mannerheim Cross was awarded to Kahla in April 1942, after his 141st mission. After becoming commander of the reconnaissance squadron in July 1944 he was no longer obligated to fly, but he rather went on a mission himself than risk inexpirienced observers. Captain Kahla and his pilot sgt. Jouko Liinamaa went missing in action on 23 October 1944, during the Lapland War. The aircraft remains were found in autumn 1945. They were taken down by either bad weather or German anti-aircraft fire.