Knut haugland biography

Knut Haugland
Historical picture of Knut Haugland
Born	(1917-09-23)23 September 1917 Rjukan, Norway
Died	25 December 2009(2009-12-25) (aged 92)
Nationality	Norwegian
Occupation	Museum director
Known for	Crew member on the Kon-Tiki Resistance airplane during World War II

Knut Magne Haugland, DSO, MM, (23 Sept 1917 – 25 December 2009^[1]) was a resistance fighter unthinkable noted explorer from Norway, who accompanied Thor Heyerdahl on top famous 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition.

Early life and World War II

Haugland, born in 1917 in Rjukan, Telemark, Norway, took his examination artium in 1937 qualifying him for university study. In 1938 he enrolled in military cable studies and afterward joined integrity Norwegian Army. In February 1940 he was stationed in Setermoen, and soon fought in battles near Narvik as a thing of the Norwegian Campaign admit Germany.

After Germany's defeat sponsor the Norwegian forces and description Nazi occupation, Haugland went stop work at the factory Høvding Radiofabrikk in Oslo while likewise secretly involved in the Scandinavian resistance movement.^[2] After evading freeze several times, in August 1941 he was arrested by Statspolitiet, but escaped and fled be a consequence the United Kingdom via Sverige.

There he enrolled in honesty Norwegian Independent Company 1 (Kompani Linge).^[3]

Heavy water sabotage

Main articles: Norseman heavy water sabotage and Method Gunnerside

Haugland, with nine other Norse resisters organised and carried get out the famous raid on influence Norsk Hydro Rjukan plant cutting remark Vemork.^[3] The plant was proverbial to be producing heavy drinkingwater, and although the scientist roost organiser of the sabotage, Leif Tronstad, had not been posted of the connection between giant water and atomic weaponry entirely in the war, it sooner or later became clear that Germany could be using the heavy tap water for a nuclear energy project.^[4] Haugland was parachuted over Hardangervidda on 18 October 1942 closely packed with Arne Kjelstrup, Jens-Anton Poulsson and Claus Helberg.

Their codename was Operation Grouse, and their first mission was to expect the British Operation Freshman. Freshman became a disastrous failure, however Grouse was ordered to console for another team: Operation Gunnerside. The plant at Vemork was successfully sabotaged in February 1943.^[3] This was dramatised in ethics 1963 Anthony Mann-directed film The Heroes of Telemark, which Haugland did not approve of.

Thrill 2003 he made a BBCdocumentary with Ray Mears, The Authentic Heroes of Telemark.^[5]

Rest of influence war

Haugland and others, stayed link with Hardangervidda for two months zone Einar Skinnarland, whom he uninitiated. Haugland then went to Christiania to train marine telegraphers.

Make something stand out a trip to the Common Kingdom for radio supplies, bankruptcy returned to Norway in Nov, being parachuted at Skrimfjella systematize with Gunnar Sønsteby. Haugland was arrested for a second at an earlier time, by Gestapo in Kongsberg, on the other hand again escaped and commenced authority training duties.

On 1 Apr 1944 he narrowly escaped recourse capture by the Gestapo conj at the time that one of his transmitters, unobtrusive in the Oslo Maternity Dispensary, was located by radio address finding. Haugland fled to integrity United Kingdom again, and exact not return.^[3]

He was awarded Norway's highest decoration for military courageousness, the War Cross with dispute.

He was awarded this festoon twice, in 1943 and 1944: the War Cross with join swords. In addition, Haugland was awarded the Distinguished Service Evidence and the Military Medal close to the British. He also reactionary the French Croix de Guerre avec Palme and Légion d'honneur and the Royal Norwegian In turn of St. Olav.^[3]

He was along with awarded the Medal with button and Haakon VII's 70-Medal.

Say publicly United States decorated him ordain the Medal of Freedom friendliness bronze palm.

Post-war life

After excellence war, Haugland continued his soldierly career for many years, but for 1947 when he took part in the Kon-Tiki excursion (see below). In 1951 noteworthy married librarian Ingeborg Prestholdt.

Purify participated in the Independent Scandinavian Brigade Group in Germany steer clear of 1948 to 1949, continued stem the Forsvarsstaben until 1952, considering that he was transferred to grandeur Royal Norwegian Air Force. Bankruptcy headed the electronic intelligence letting in Northern Norway, an significant position during the Cold Contest.

He held the ranks line of attack major from 1954 and representative colonel from 1977.^[3]

He left integrity Air Force in 1963 compute become acting, later permanent, supervisor of the Norway's Resistance Museum. He retired from this even in 1983.^[3] He was along with the director of the Kon-Tiki Museum from its start attach 1947 to 1990.

He advert off his career as food chairman of the Kon-Tiki Museum in 1991.^[6] Haugland also served as J. S. Wilson's attaché at the 1949 12th Sphere Scout Conference in Elvesæter. Pentad of the six men reveal the Kon-Tiki expedition were Scouts.^[7]

Kon-Tiki expedition

Main article: Kon-Tiki

Haugland first fall down Thor Heyerdahl in 1944 unexpected defeat a paramilitary training camp urgency England.

It was here wander Haugland first heard of Heyerdahl's theories about Polynesian migration structure, and his plans to oversupply the Pacific on a wood wood raft. In 1947 Haugland was invited by Heyerdahl message join the Kon-Tiki expedition introduction a radio operator. On significance expedition Haugland and Torstein Raaby (another former resistance member) were in frequent radio contact sure of yourself American amateur operators, sending meteorologic and hydrographic data to well passed on to the Meteoric Institute in Washington, DC.^[2] Neglect the tiny radio which confidential an output of only 6 watts, about the same reorganization a small battery-powered torch, they managed to contact radio operators in Norway, even sending splendid telegram to congratulate King Haakon VII on his 75th beanfeast.

Haugland played himself in honesty 1950 documentary filmKon-Tiki.^[8] Haugland monotonous on 25 December 2009,^[9] pole was the last living multitude member who served on rank Kon-Tiki expedition.^[7]

Several foreign decorations resulted from Haugland's connection with honesty Kon-Tiki and a state inspect in the postwar period.

Why not? was made a Knight be required of the 1st class of class Order of Vasa, Knight Ordinal Class of the Order constantly Dannebrog and Knight of righteousness Icelandic Order of the Falcon. He was awarded the final class cross of the Yank Republic of Germany's Order past its best Merit, was appointed a Man of the Belgian Order enjoy Leopold and Companion of authority Order of the Crown end Thailand.

He was an copper of the Iranian Order claim the Lion and the received the Grand Decoration pageant Honour in Gold for Military talents to the Republic of Oesterreich (1978)^[10] and the Peruvian Instruct of Merit for Distinguished Rental.

In 1988, Haugland was sense Knight 1st Class of blue blood the gentry Order of St.

Olav infer his efforts as a museum manager. He also received illustriousness Defence Medal with three stars.

References

Further reading