Jarmo Soininen

Jarmo Soininen was born on 5 April 1919 in Kuopio, Finland.

In 1939, the Winter War broke out between Finland and Soviet Union. Jarmo Soininen joined the Finnish Army.

In 1941, with Operation Barbarossa came the Continuation War in which Jarmo Soininen fought under General Paavo Talvela in the Finnish 4th Army Corps.

By January 1942, Talvela's army had advanced all the way to the town of Karhumäki.

In February 1942, he was promoted to Vänrikki.

In May 1942, in the town of Ääninen, his platoon's camp got surrounded by Soviet troops. He heroically killed 6 Soviet soldiers after his ordinate, Yliluutnantti Lauri Koivisto was shot in the arm. At risk of bleeding to death, Soininen wrapped a spare t shirt around his Lieutenant's arm and escorted him to safety until reinforcements arrived. Due to this heroic action, Soininen was promoted to Luutnantti.

He went on to conquer a huge portion of Russia by the end of the war in 1944 his rank was Majuri. He had become a celebrity in Finland due to his heroic acts in battle. He influenced many of his commander's decisions which led them to win the war. He was credited of course and Carl Gustaf Mannerheim personally invited him to the presidential palace.

From 1944 to 1946 he remained at a military base in Uhta where he conducted military training. He was promoted to Everesti.

In 1946, he married Terttu-Leena Soininen and settled down in Nerkoo.

In 1947, CGF Mannerheim ordered him to report to Helsinki where several high ranking generals were told a plan to invade Sweden with Nazi support. It commenced during May 1947, Soininen was to lead his brigade into Sweden by land from Northern FInland. The invasion concluded with the Battle of Stockholm in September 1947. The Treaty of Töcksfors ensured the surrender of Sweden and the ceding of the land to Finland.

Soininen once again returned home a hero. In 1947, he returned to Nerkoo where he had built a house by a lake.