Description
Book SynopsisHidden in the crevasses of World War II history is the story of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate). A small unit that rarely gets any attention, it is part of a fascinating story. Alongside battalions of Austrian, Greek, Filipino and Japanese Americans, the Army decided to create an all Norwegian American battalion, originally trained at Camp Hale, Colorado, along with the 10th Mountain Division, with the original mission of liberating Norway. Their exploits during training brought them enough notoriety that members of the 99th were recruited to start the First Special Service Force and a branch of the OSS. Although they were not initially sent to Norway, they would fight in Normandy, across France and Belgium, helped entrap the Germans at Aachen, protected the city of Malmedy during the Battle of the Bulge (where they stopped an attack by Skorzeny and a SS Panzer Division), helped liberate Buchenwald, guarded the Nazi treasures found in Merkers mine and finally served as the Honor Guard for King Haakon VII on his triumphant return to Norway.
This book tells the story of the 99th Infantry Battalion through an anthology of rarely, if ever, previously seen memoirs, journals, letters and newspaper articles written by or about the Viking soldiers.
Table of ContentsIntroduction and History of the 99th Editor's Notes Howard R. Bergen John W. Kelly Yngvar Stensby J. Jarvis Taylor Donald Curtis George Hunsby Robert T. Bjorgum Luverne Ostby Stan Anderson Harold K. Hanson Harold Berndt Harold F. Plank Les Carlson Norris Gustufson Melvin C. Hammerstein Ray Helle Lars Larson Dr. Raymond Minge Kjell Nilsen
