Soldater i 99. infanteribataljon tildeles Deltakermedaljen for deres innsats under den andre verdenskrig. Medaljen deles ut av Forsvarssjef Harald Sunde i dag, den 28. mai 2011, under en seremoni i den norske ambassaden i Washington DC.
Den amerikanske 99. bataljon ble dannet i Camp Ripley i Minnesota den 19. juli 1942. Denne avdelingen skulle bestå kun av nordmenn og amerikanere av norsk herkomst. Soldater i denne bataljonen måtte kunne beherske det norske språk, og de som kunne stå på ski ble foretrukket. Denne enheten var spesielt tiltenkt for en mulig invasjon av Norge, men ble satt inn under landgangen i Normandie. Den 99. bataljon deltok i kamphandlinger i Frankrike, Belgia og Tyskland før den ble sendt til Norge for å avvæpne de tyske okkupasjonsstyrkene.
Da kong Haakon gikk i land den 7. juni 1945 stod denne enheten æresvakt etter spesiell anmodning fra ham. I dag mottar 17 vetaraner fra denne bataljonen, hvert sitt eksemplar av dette bildet, fra oss.
Fotograf Svein A Sturlason benyttet stillasene som var satt opp i forbindelse med byggingen av Oslo Rådhus. Motivet ble satt sammen av 3 glassplater.
Soldiers of the 99th Infantry battalion (separate) will be awarded the Norwegian World War II Defense medal. The Norwegian Chief of Defense, General Harald Sunde will award the medal to each of the surviving members of this unit in Washington today.
The 99 th battalion was formed at Camp Ripley Minnesota July 19th 1942 on written orders of the War Department. The unit was to consist solely of Norwegians and Americans of Norwegian descent. To be eligible for service in this unit, the soldiers had to speak Norwegian. Those who knew how to ski were preferred. The unit was formed with the possible invasion of Norway in mind, but was committed to the Invasion of Normandy. The 99th battalion participated in combat in France, Belgium and Germany before being shipped to Norway in order to disarm the German occupational forces there.
It was this unit that served as the honor guard when King Haakon VII of Norway returned to his country on his special request. Today 17 members of the unit will receive a copy of this photo from us.
Photo is taken by Svein A Sturlason.
On behalf of the veterans of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate), I would like to thank Sturlason for the prints that was donated in conjunction of the medal cermony in Washington DC on Saturday 28th May 2011. They were very popular and each veteran received one to take home. In fact so popular that the one extra print left, was requested by the Defence Attachee Trond Grytting. He said it will be framed with a plaque commemorating the 28th May 2011, and will be hung at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington.
ReplyDeleteErik Wiborg
Honorary Member - 99th Inf Btn