Norwegian World War II hero Soensteby dies at 94
May 10, 2012, 4:44 PM
OSLO, Norway (AP) – Gunnar Soensteby, a World War II resistance fighter who earned Norway’s highest military decoration for daring raids against the Nazis, has died. He was 94.
The Norwegian government said Soensteby died Thursday at a hospital in Oslo. The cause of death was not announced.
Soensteby was a member of Kompani Linge, a group of volunteers trained in England for secret missions during the 1940-1945 Nazi occupation of Norway. The group carried out spectacular sabotage raids against factories, railroads and fuel supplies to hamper the German war effort.
Soensteby also led the smuggling of money printing plates from Norway’s central bank to the exiled government in London. In 1946, he received the War Cross with three swords for his bravery, Norway’s highest decoration. No other Norwegian has received the medal with three swords.
“Gunnar Soensteby has a proud place in our modern history,” Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.
The funeral will be held at the government’s expense, the prime minister said. Information on survivors was not immediately available.
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