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Author Topic: New article: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen  (Read 350 times)

Offline Grendel

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New article: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen
« on: February 20, 2003, 03:11:14 AM »
New article: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen

The latest English translation in Finnish Virtual Pilots Association
Aviation History site: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen.

A short story how even the finest, the best of the breed, do not always
get what they deserve.



"Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, a fighter ace with 56 victories, Lieutenant Colonel Eino Luukkanen, died to heart attack at Jyväskylä, 1964 at 55 years of age. Now his gravestone in the Seppälä cemetary looks lonely and weathered, but he is not forgotten."

Eino Luukkanen commanded the "squadron of aces", Fighter Squadron 34, formed in 1943 from the best pilots of
the Finnish Air Force. A fighting leader; he fought in the front and with his men, gaining the utmost respect
of the his soldiers.

Knight of the Mannerheim cross, 56 victories, Brewster and Messerschmitt ace.

History site: http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/

Article: http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/WW2History-LuukkanenEnglish.html
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Offline batdog

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New article: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2003, 06:10:18 AM »
I don't understand WHY he was dis-honored or stripped of his awards? He was accused of treason due to giving a map to some Swede?

Explain please... I might be moving abit slow. 3hrs sleep..my friggen HD went tits up last night.


xBAT
Batmon
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Of course, I only see what he posts here and what he does in the MA.  I know virtually nothing about the man.  I think its important for people to realize that we don't really know squat about each other.... definately not enough to use words like "hate".

AKDejaVu

Offline BlauK

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New article: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2003, 06:48:19 AM »
It is a very controversial thing. He was accused and found guilty of giving classified information to another country. I have been asking about him from very veterans since I ma very intrested in him... he was the CO of Lentolaivue 34 after all :)

Veterans have told two kind of stories and comments. Some say that anyone could have gone to a bookstore and bought those maps he gave to Swedes and that he was doing it only for his patriotism and fright of the USSR. Others have told that he was using fairly much alcohol those days and just did it to get money for his drinks.

All of them naturally respect what he did in war time and even after that and maybe the real truth wont be revealed. It is kind of similar thing as if one tries to ask the veterans about war time kill claims and how they are exaggerated and how archives show smaller enemy losses.... that wont be a very long discussion ;)

It is a sad story of a great man and of how his great career ended :(
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  BlauKreuz - Lentolaivue 34      

Offline LLv34_Camouflage

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New article: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2003, 07:54:47 AM »
Luukkanen was definately a great fighter pilot and an exceptional leader.

His fate was really sad, and it seems to me that he was made a scape goat, just to please the soviets...

Camo
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CO, Lentolaivue 34
Brewster's in AH!
"How about the power to kill a Yak from 200 yards away - with mind bullets!"

Offline Grendel

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New article: Disowned By His Fatherland - Eino Luukkanen
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2003, 01:09:02 PM »
Article updated.
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