norex 2015 magazine

N O R E X

2015 THE 42ND AMERICAN | NORWEGIANRECIPROCAL TROOP EXCHANGE

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2015 THE 42ND AMERICAN | NORWEGIAN RECIPROCAL TROOP EXCHANGE

Retracing His tory

The 103 Ai rmen and Soldiers of the Minnesota Nat ional Guard part ic ipat ing in the 42nd Amer ican/Norwegian Reciprocal T roop Exchange ret raced the steps of U.S . and Norwegian special operators who, 70 years ago, dur ing the f inal months of WWII , waged a successfu l sabotage campaign against German forces occupying Norway in the areas around Trondheim, Camp Vaernes, St ik lestad and Snåsa.

Sold iers f rom the 99th Infantry Battal ion, a uni t compr ised of Norwegian-speaking Amer icans pr imar i ly f rom Minnesota and the Dakotas, volunteered to t ra in with the Off ice of St rategic Serv ices, the precursor to the CIA, to inf i l t rate into Norway and conduct unconvent ional warfare operat ions a longs ide Norwegian special operat ions forces. I t was these smal l , OSS teams that were tasked with sabotaging the Norwegian ra i l l ines to halt the movement of German t roops by performing combined parachute-sk i operat ions.

About Camp Værnes

Camp Værnes has a long and eventfu l h i s tory. Mi l i tary act iv i ty at the camp dates back to the late 15th century, but i t was not unt i l 1887 that the Norwegian government purchased the estate in order to establ i sh a permanent dr i l l s i te for the t ra in ing of Army regiments in the region.

The f i r s t a i rcraft came to Camp Værnes in 1914, and after Wor ld War I I the Royal Norwegian Ai r Force expanded the use of the camp as an ai r base. Current ly T røndelag Home Guard Dis t r ict 12 has i t s headquarters and t ra in ing faci l i t ies at Camp Værnes, which i s a lso home to uni ts of the Norwegian Defense Logist ical Organizat ion, the Norwegian Defense Medical Corps, the Home Guard Central Staff and the Norwegian Defense Estate Agency.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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3 ARRIVAL and EQUIPMENT ISSUE

4 FTX PREP: SKIING, TENT SET UP, HEATERS and STOVES

5 FTX DAY 1: FIRST SKI MARCH and CAMP SET UP

6 FTX DAY 2: 400-METER CLIMB and CROSSING OVER THE MOUNTAIN

7 FTX DAY 2 and 3: WINTER SURVIVAL TRAINING and ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

8 FTX DAY 4: COMMEMORATION and MEMORIAL CEREMONY

9 AMERICAN MEAL

10 WEAPONS TRAINING

11 NORWEGIAN HERITAGE: STIKLESTAD BATTLEFIELD TOUR

12 NORWEGIAN HERITAGE: VIKING GAMES and NORWEGIAN MEAL

13 NORWEGIAN HERITAGE: NIDAROS CATHEDRAL and TRONDHEIM

14 FAREWELL BANQUET


A NOREX member conquers the elements and terrain on day two of the Norwegian Reciprocal Troop Exchange’s Field Training Exercise near Snåsa on Feb. 17, 2015. Photo by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

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EARRIVAL and EQUIPMENT ISSUE


(TOP LEFT) The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing provided transportation via three KC-135 Stratotankers. (TOP RIGHT) Minnesota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen begin their journey to Norway for two weeks of winter training with the Norwegian Home Guard. (BOTTOM LEFT) In addition to new uniforms, over-boots, rucksacks, shelter sections and other layered cold weather clothing, NOREX Soldiers and Airmen are issued the preferred mode of transporation to traverse the Norwegian mountains. (BOTTOM RIGHT) A NOREX member adjusts his ski’s binding without removing his gloves to avoid cold weather injuries, a point of emphasis from the Norwegian instructors. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

The Minnesota Nat ional Guard’s 42nd annual t roop exchange with the Norwegian Home Guard took place f rom Feb. 12, 2015, to Feb. 27, 2015. Three KC-135 St ratotankers carr ied the group f rom the 133rd Ai r l i f t Wing to Værnes Ai r Stat ion, Norway. Upon arr ival , the 103 Sold iers and Ai rmen were suppl ied standard- i ssue Norwegian gear and br iefed on the cold weather t ra in ing they were about to receive.

“The winter e lements had nothing on the cloth ing and t ra in ing that the Norwegians provided for us . We al l learned an important Norwegian lesson — There i s no such th ing as bad weather , only bad cloth ing!” — Capt. Andrea Kost iuk

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FTX PREPARATION2015 THE 42ND AMERICAN | NORWEGIAN RECIPROCAL TROOP EXCHANGE

(TOP) After each Soldier and Airman is issued one section of a 10-section tent system, sheets are buttoned together to complete the squad-size shelter. (MIDDLE LEFT) NOREX Soldiers and Airmen acquaint themselves to skiing on level ground before being challenged by the steep terrain they will face during the FTX. (MIDDLE RIGHT) NOREX Soldiers and Airmen operate a multi-fuel heater to stay warm and dry in the cold, wet Norwegian wilderness. (BOTTOM) A squad works to erect their shelter, a process they will repeat several times in the coming days. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

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SKI MARCH, TENT SET UP AND SKI-IN MOVIEAfter complet ing the f i r s t day’s sk i march and establ i sh ing campsi tes by platoon, the Norwegian hosts inv i ted NOREX members to enjoy a sk i - in movie featur ing “The Heroes of Te lemark,” s tar r ing K i rk Douglas. The class ic WWII movie i s based on the t rue story of the Norwegian and Al l ied efforts to sabotage Naz i product ion of Heavy Water , which could be used in the manufacture of an atomic bomb.


(TOP) With loaded packs and ski pulk, a low-slung small toboggan, NOREX Soldiers and Airmen begin the first of several ski marches. (MIDDLE LEFT) A NOREX member works to set a shelter picket before his first night in the field. (BOTTOM LEFT) NOREX Soldiers and Airmen forgo their issued stoves for the heat of a campfire to roast their evening meal. (BOTTOM RIGHT) NOREX Soldiers and Airmen, after a long day of traversing the Norwegian wilderness on skis, are surprised with an outdoor film screening after establishing their first base camp. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

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2400M CLIMB and MOUNTAIN CROSSINGDay two of the FTX was the shortest sk i march but s teepest c l imb as NOREX members crossed over a mountain.

“My l imits were pushed phys ical ly and mental ly as I was sk i ing uphi l l wi th a 50-pound rucksack,” sa id Senior Ai rman Mar iah K l ingenberg. “We were to ld by the Norwegian inst ructors that they have never taken a group of beginners on th is type of course. At one point ,

I wanted to take my sk i s of f and just walk the rest of the way up, but my squad leader helped mot ivate me up a steep and icy part of the cl imb. Gett ing to the top whi le everyone was cheer ing was unbel ievable. That was one of the proudest moments I have ever exper ienced.” “That evening, as we arr ived at our second base camp, we were greeted with a wi ld snowstorm,”

sa id Pfc. Parker Johnson. “For me, that seemed to be the def in ing moment where we bonded as a squad after s t ruggl ing together for hours sett ing up and resett ing our tents in h igh winds.

“We al l completed what was requi red — nobody s lacked — and by the end of i t , as exhausted as we were, we st i l l managed to laugh and be f r iends.”


(TOP) The Norwegian countryside offers both scenic views and challenging terrain for NOREX members. (BOTTOM LEFT) Along with changing elevations, NOREX members encounter varying weather including wind, sun, rain and, of course, snow. (MIDDLE RIGHT) After cresting the mountaintop, a two-person team carefully negototiates the equally demanding downhill portion of the ski march with a ski pulk — heavily loaded with squad equipment — between them. (BOTTOM RIGHT) A team carves out blocks of snow to construct a snow wall to protect their shelter from gusting winds. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

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WINTER SURVIVAL and ASH WEDNESDAY

“Looking out over the snow covered mountains in the same area as our predecessors was a poignant reminder of the gi f t we have in the f reedom earned by al l ied patr iots and warr iors .” — Chaplain (Maj . ) Buddy Winn


(TOP) Chaplain (Maj.) Buddy Winn performs an Ash Wednesday service to provide for the religious needs of NOREX members in a unique and memorable environment. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Justin Hackett. (MIDDLE LEFT) An instructor and WWII re-enactor shows how Norwegian resistance members sheltered themselves from the cold. (BOTTOM LEFT) An instructor demonstrates firing the pre-1900 Norwegian Krag-Jørgensen rifle. (MIDDLE RIGHT) Grouse and other wild game provided a stable food supply for resistance members, as aerial re-supplies of food and equipment could be inconsistent. (BOTTOM RIGHT) An instructor shows how resistance members snared grouse, rather than shoot them, to avoid detection and conserve ammunition. Photos by: Maj. Scott Ingalsbe.

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4COMMEMORATION and MEMORIAL


The FTX culminated with a s imulated ra i l demol i t ion us ing s ignal f lares , and formal ly concluded with a wreath- lay ing ceremony to honor those who per i shed in the Jørstad r iver on Jan. 13, 1945.

Dur ing WWII , U.S . and Norwegian special operators demol i shed the br idge to s top the movement of German t roops through Norway. Several hours after the successfu l demol i t ion a t ra in derai led into the icy waters , c la iming the l ives of 78 German t roops and two Norwegian ra i l workers .

(TOP) The rebuilt Jørstad Bridge where 80 people died on Jan. 13, 1945. (MIDDLE LEFT) U.S. and Norwegian service members remember the deadly costs of war near the Jørstad Bridge memorial. (BOTTOM RIGHT) NOREX members continue the tradition of honoring casualties of WWII near the Jørstad Bridge memorial. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.Read more about the ceremony at http://goo.gl/6vloZr.

“Peace i s not something that comes easy. I t takes wi l l and hard work. Reconci l iat ion i s even harder . Forgiveness , understanding and love are the keys i f you are to be successfu l . However, s tanding here at th i s s i te with the German, the U.S . and the Norwegian f lag hois ted together , I feel conf ident that peace and reconci l iat ion are poss ib le no matter how dark the h is tory.” — Norwegian Col . Ebbe Derås, commander of Home Guard Dis t r ict 12

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LAMERICAN MEAL


(TOP LEFT) NOREX members and their Norwegian hosts enjoy a classic American steak and potatoes dinner courtesy of Serving Our Troops. Photo by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren. (MIDDLE LEFT) The American meal in Norway carries on the tradition of NOREX guests preparing a meal for their Norwegian hosts. Photo by: Maj. Scott Ingalsbe. (BOTTOM LEFT) A NOREX member sets the table to deal blackjack for his fellow Airmen, Soldiers and Norwegian counterparts in a no-stakes game of chance. (TOP RIGHT), (MIDDLE RIGHT) and (BOTTOM RIGHT) NOREX members get in character before enjoying a Casino-themed night of entertainment with their Norwegian hosts. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

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WEAPONS TRAINING

(TOP LEFT) Norwegian instructor Bjarne Åsum, who was 7 years old when the Jørstad Bridge was demolished and remembers hearing the blast, displays what Gen. George Patton called “the greatest battle implement ever devised,” the M1 Garand, at Camp Værnes on Feb. 14, 2015. (BOTTOM LEFT) A NOREX member familiarizes herself with the WWII-era M1 Garand at Camp Værnes on Feb. 14, 2015. (TOP RIGHT) NOREX members get a feel for the Norwegian Home Guard’s HK416, which replaced the AG3 as the standard rifle of the Norwegian military at Leksdalen on Feb. 23, 2015. (MIDDLE RIGHT) Norwegian Home Gaurd HK416s are staged for firing. (BOTTOM RIGHT) A Norwegian instructor displays WWII-era equipment used by Allied and German forces. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

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STIKLESTAD BATTLEFIELD TOUR

(TOP) NOREX members approach a replica Viking longhouse while touring the Stiklestad Battlefield on Feb. 24, 2015. (MIDDLE) Øystein Walberg, a retired high school teacher and former Norwegian Home Guard commander of the Stiklestad region, gives a presentation to NOREX Soldiers and Airmen explaining different theories of how the battle at Stiklestad may have played out. (BOTTOM) NOREX members take in the Stiklestad Church on Feb. 24, 2015, built on the exact spot where King Olaf is believed to have died in battle. Photos by: Pvt. Christina Vang.

Olav I I Haraldsson was k ing of Norway f rom 1015 to 1030. St ik lestad i s famous as the batt lef ie ld where K ing Olav died on Ju ly 29, 1030. Olav forcefu l ly defeated the ear l s of Lade who ru led T røndelag before h im, as wel l as other chiefta ins . Others p ledged thei r a l legiance to h im more or less voluntar i ly . In the mid-1020s however, the s i tuat ion began to change. K ing Canute of Denmark and England gradual ly won the al legiance of many of the k ing`s opponents in Norway and also bought the loyalty of other Norwegian chiefta ins with money and gold. Th is a l l iance became too powerfu l for K ing Olav, who was forced to f lee in 1028. He f led east to what i s now Russ ia, and he fe l l at St ik lestad when he t r ied to regain the k ingdom two years later .

According to the St ik lestad Nat ional Culture Center , the Batt le of St ik lestad represents a s igni f icant turn ing point in the h is tory of Norway. Beginning in the 9th century, Chr i s t ian culture had gradual ly overtaken most of the country, putt ing Norse re l ig ion and mythology on the defens ive. The int roduct ion of Chr i s t iani ty and the end of the Vik ing ra ids had weakened the old chieftan class . With few except ions, the emerging k ingdom was accepted after 1030, and i t was to develop into a state later in the Middle Ages. The saint k ing Olav became a uni fy ing symbol of th i s s tate: Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae – Norway’s Eternal K ing.

Informat ion gathered f rom the St ik lestad Nat ional Culture Center , www.st ik lestad.no/engl i sh

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E2015 THE 42ND AMERICAN | NORWEGIAN RECIPROCAL TROOP EXCHANGE

(TOP RIGHT) NOREX members receive their Viking helmets after completing a series of challenges at Camp Værnes on Feb. 24, 2015. Photo by: Pvt. Christina Vang. (MIDDLE LEFT) NOREX members unleash their inner Viking after completing one of several challenges. Photo by: Pvt. Christina Vang. (BOTTOM LEFT) The Norwegian Meal included fish and other traditional Viking fare. Photo by: Maj. Scott Ingalsbe. (BOTTOM RIGHT) NOREX members recall their training and strive to make fire with their camp stoves in a race against time. Photo by: Pvt. Christina Vang.

The Vik ing Games tested the sk i l l s and mett le of the Amer icans with a ser ies of chal lenging tasks , such as bui ld ing a pr imit ive shel ter , l ight ing a f i re and brewing an acceptable-tast ing cup of coffee for the Vik ing chief as quick ly as poss ib le. After complet ing the chal lenges the Amer icans received thei r V ik ing helmets in ceremonious fash ion. Then the new Vik ings were welcomed with a t radit ional Norwegian meal of seafood, grouse and other del icacies.

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ENIDAROS CATHEDRAL and TRONDHEIM


(MIDDLE LEFT) NOREX members visited Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim on Feb. 25, 2015. Photo by: Henning Grøtt, used with permission. (TOP RIGHT) Nearly 25 feet in diameter, the Rose Window is the most dominant feature of the West Front of Nidaros Cathedral, and the Steinmeyer Organ ranks as one of the largest musical instruments in Europe. Photo by: Dino Makridis, used with permission. (BOTTOM) NOREX members spent their last day taking in the sights and views, including this famous setting of the River Nid, or Nidelva, in Trondheim. Photo by: Monica Selnes, used with permission.

Nidaros Cathedral began as a smal l chapel in 1035, wi th the cathedral being completed around 1300. After being damaged by several f i res in the 15th and 16th centur ies , large parts of the cathedral lay in ru ins for several hundred years . In 1869, extens ive restorat ions were undertaken before i t was fu l ly restored a century later .

The late K ing Olav’s remains were moved several t imes after h i s death at St ik lestad and eventual ly inter red in a secret locat ion in the cathedral . Even to th i s day h is last rest ing place remains a mystery.

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FAREWELL BANQUET2015 THE 42ND AMERICAN | NORWEGIAN RECIPROCAL TROOP EXCHANGE

(TOP RIGHT) NOREX members dine with their Norwegian counterparts during a farewell banquet at Camp Værnes on Feb. 25, 2015. Photo by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren. (MIDDLE RIGHT) Bjørn Derås, one of several host family members to attend the farewell banquet, spends a few extra minutes with the NOREX members he hosted at his home. Photo courtesy of: Pfc. Parker Johnson. (BOTTOM LEFT) Maj. Gen. Neal Loidolt formally thanks Norwegian Home Guard hosts for their hospitality and world-class training provided to members of NOREX 42. (BOTTOM RIGHT) Norwegian Brig. Gen. Ivar Halset and Col. Ebbe Derås are presented a pair of Minnesota spruce grouse, a relative of the Norwegian Rype — the namesake of the Home Guard 12 Rapid Reaction Force. Photos by: Tech Sgt. Amy Lovgren.

“ I wi l l personal ly never forget l iv ing in the Snåsa mountains for four days with th i s except ional team,” said Capt. Andrea Kost iuk, NOREX 42 company commander. “ I t was a remarkable exper ience ret racing h is tory to commemorate the Amer ican/Norwegian cooperat ion dur ing WWII .

“ I th ink I a l so speak for the company when I say that I wi l l never forget the hospi ta l i ty , pat ience and generos i ty of our Norwegian t ra iners . We are lucky to cal l them f r iends.

“F inal ly , I won’t forget the pr ide I had in th i s team of ambassadors who came together as Team 42, facing every new t ra in ing opportuni ty with mot ivat ion and determinat ion, and l iv ing up to the purpose of th i s exchange.”

Photo by: Svend Berggren, Multifoto, used with permission.

Find the complete NOREX 42 photo album on the Minnesota National Guard’s Picasa page at http://goo.gl/fDPKYq.Catch up on NOREX 42, and follow upcoming exchanges, at www.facebook.com/MNNGNOREX.

norex 2015 magazine

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