Unto Johannes Oksala

Unto Oksala was born 15th March 1915 in Jyväskylä.

His father was shopkeeper Johannes Oksala, mother Impi Oksala Education: 3 classes of 8 om the Tampere Classic Lyceum 1929-1931.

Father Oksala the shopkeeper was obviously well off, he could affort to put his son in a private school in 1929, but Unto dropped out after 3 years at the age of 14. Probable reason: the Great Depression that bankrupted many businessmen also in Finland.

Compulsory military duty: Aviation School at Kauhava 17.9.1934 - 30.11.1935

Pilot: NCO course 17.9.34 - "wings" awarded 29.2.36

Oksala was rewarded as the best trainee of his course (Oksala actually enlisted in the FAF to become a professional pilot, his compulsory military duty was done simultaneously)

Sgt. Oksala was posted to LLv44 in the Tervaniemi maritime base at Viipuri. He had volunteered there because there was a rumour that LLv44 would be equipped with Bristol Blenheims.

That happened and LLv44 was transferred to Immola, the first modern a/b in Finland at that time. A detailed training programme was started immediately in the Squadron. The superiors were satisfied with the performance of Sgt. Oksala as Blenheim pilot. He was trusted despite his young age due to his skill, calmness and absolute fulfillment of orders. He scarcely lagged behind the old w/o's with long flying experience. For example during one two-hour instrument flying task, considered as very difficult, he was the only one doing it in time. Oksala was lauded, but he said:

- I had a good man for observer.

Utsi Oksala never felt any need for self-aggrandizement or boasting. He preferred to stay quiet about what he had done, and he talked very little in general.

Oksala participated in 1938 in a Fokker D.XXI introduction course. In his professional way he thought that it would be useful for a bomber pilot to know the tricks of fighter pilots when attacking bombers. His superiors had been annoyed about his wish for fighter training and told him to cancel his application for the course. A hint was dropped that he might not have any return to his squadron, but Oksala did not recall his application.

Capt. Karhunen who supervised the fighter course later estimated that Oksala had a long span of attention, consideration, calmness, and good skill in flying - characteristics of a good bomber pilot.

During the Winter War Oksala proved himself. No mission was beyond his ability. Time after another he took off for dangerous missions in the enemy rear, be it visual reconnaisance, photo reconnaisance or bombing.

Oksala himself did not talk about the missions. His observer or gunner would tell more the more the tricky and critical situations during the mission, often they had survived only due to the sovereign ability of the pilot to control his a/c.

The Blenheim was lacking armour and its defensive armament was weak, so the best way of surviving was to avoid air battle by flying at treetops or hiding in clouds. The speed of the Blenheim was enough to cope with the I-16 and I-153 but not with faster types. The original radio equipment was poor, even the original intercom was so full of static that it was useless. The pilot used to have a lanyard tied to his arm, and by jerking the other end the gunner was able to signal the pilot about approaching fighters...

Twice Oksala's BL failed to return to base in the Winter War (see 11.02.1940 and 26.02.1940).

After the war the performance of the airmen was judged as a donated gold watch was to be presented to the best bomber airman. It was Utsi Oksala who received it as the best NCO pilot. It must be kept in mind that the ranks of the bomber force included a number of the best and famous W/Os, the most experienced pilots of the FAF.

FAF had lost 11 bombers out of 40 and 19 airmen in that 105 day war, it was a hard blow.

Bomber squadrons were to be re-equipped with new Blenheims under production in the Government Aircraft Factory. That piece of news did not cheer up the bomber airmen because the BL was no more an up-to-date a/c. A BL could cope with the I-153 and I-16 but the new Soviet MiG-1 would be faster. This is what the old pilots thought privately and kept to themselves. Young replacement airmen were full of enthusiasm, of course.

Early in the morning of June 25 1941 500 Soviet bombers attacked Finnish towns and air bases without any declaration of war.

As the war started again the BL airmen were assigned to difficult visual recce and bombing missions, all to support the Army. The two FAF bomber squadrons had scarcely 10 BLs at their disposal. The third squadron existed nominally only, they had initially 3 a/c of which soon only 1 was left.

The veteran pilots were right about the enemy fighters. The MiG-1 was the greatest risk to BLs. Bitter losses were experienced and raiding the enemy fighter bases brought no relief.

The missions flown by Oksala had a better bombing accuracy than the average. Of course the observers had the main responsibility but also a pilot had input in the result. Oksala had advised a young replacement 2nd Lt. who was to fly as his observer:

- Keep in your mind that we are not taking those bombs over the front in vain. They are intended to hit the target. I am not going to accept just dumping them anywhere.

Oksala was a "jack of all trades" as a bomber pilot. He was assigned to special tasks, such as supplying the long distance patrols operating deep in the enemy rear.

Maj. Erik Stenbäck, the commander of LeLv44, selected Oksala as the man to drop supplies to the GHQ long distance patrols. Stenbäck told in an interview that the GHQ demanded him to assign the duty to a man who could not only fly but keep confidentiality.

These material drop missions were difficult due to two extra factors: unreliable maps and the need not to let the enemy search patrols locate the Finnish patrol.

Oksala fulfilled the expectations. The GHQ sent thanks for each successful supply missions to Maj. Stenbäck.

Oksala kept quiet about those clandestine guerilla missions. One is documented, however (see 17.07.1942).

Official document states: "On 18 July, 3 August and 2 Oct 42 W/O Oksala flew four separate successful missions to supply our long range patrols at Ala-Kolesmajarvi, near Sorokka and at Kontiojarvi. With courageous decisiveness and skill he completed his missions despite the action of enemy fighters."

Oksala participated in the dramatic Varbinitsi raid (see 15.04.1942).

As LeLv 44 was re-equipped with Ju-88s in 1943 Oksala was involved from the very beginning. He was trained in Tutow a/b in Germany in flying and dive bombing with Ju-88. Oksala withstood excellently the stress of diving and steep recovery. Obviously his short and stocky stature was an asset in struggle against centrifugal force. His vision did not get blocked even in the steepest recovery after a dive.

Summer 1943 was a training period for the squadron, and in general it went well. Oksala felt at home in the cockpit of the Ju-88, he thought that the 2-ton bombload made his work more relevant. Mostly only 1,5 tons could be carried because the Finnish runways used to be short and soft.

Yet there were failures.

The raid later known as the Lavansaari bungle on 17 Sept 1943 was a catastroph for PLeLv44. Only 7 of the 14 JK's landed at Utti, and one of them on its belly. Three found Malmi with two of them damaged. One was damaged in forced landing on a field in Sippola, one in Mikkeli and one in Onttola - three more damaged. One lost its way as far as Lake Onega and landed in a lake N of Petrozavodsk. It was miracle that no one was killed or wounded. The Russian word "bardak" describes this operation perfectly (see 17.09.1943).

The C-in-C decorated W/O Unto Johannes Oksala as a Knight of the Mannerheim Cross on the 21st of Nov 1943.

It was stzted on the citation: "W/O Oksala has proven to be a courageous, skillful and considerate pilot. To date he has flown far more than 100 missions. His efficiency has resulted in brilliant achievements and great results, often easing the action of our Army. All the tasks assigned to him W/O Oksala has performed efficiently and completely, despite AAA fire, constantly harassing fighters and navigation problems during long night missions. At this stage of the war it is reasonable not to describe the achievements of W/O Oksala in detail."

"W/O Oksala has carried out all his tasks with exemplary courage and proven in his actions a strong will to defeat problems and troubles. The value of the achievements of W/O Oksala is further accentuated by the fact that he most willingly volunteers to fly also the most dangerous long range missions despite the fact that in the AF long range missions are considered as the most dangerous type of missions due to very large threat by enemy fighters, for which reason among others fighter pilots with reluctance become pilots of long range a/c."

On the night of 9th March 1944 FAF bomber force launched an retaliatory raid against the a/bs of ADD (Soviet long range bomber force) N of Leningrad. The ADD had thrice raided Helsinki in February 1944, so called "peace raids".

PLeLv44 participated with their 6 serviceable Ju-88. Finnish bombers joined the Soviet bomber stream returning from raid against Tallinn, and the enemy failed to detect the Finnish bombers among their own. PLeLv44 raided a/b Kasimovo, and their bombs fell on the fully lit target, hitting runways and rows of parked a/c (see 09.03.1944).

After landing at Utti, the working base for the raid for PLeLv44, the aircrews were in a very good mood after the successful mission. According to anecdote, even W/O Oksala opened his mouth spontaneously: "I wonder if they are now drinking tea in Kasimovo?" Oksala's favourite gunner, Staff Sgt. Veetu Laukas pointed his finger at Oksala and shouted in mock horror: "Listen to that bigmouth!"

Summer 1944 was the worst period, to support the Army the bombers had received the orders to fly missions disregarding losses. The raids in June, July and August could be flown only under Messerschmitt cover provided by HLeLv 24 and 34.

(Another anecdote: Oksala is reputed to have told that if he was not flying as the leader, he would in AAA fire cover his eyes with one hand so that he just and just saw the leading a/c between his fingers. As the leader dived, he knew it was time for him to dive, too. And if bad news kept coming over the radio, he would loosen his earphone strap in order not to hear too well.)

The raids FAF bombers did in summer 1944 were tactical strikes at the enemy front line or immediately behind it, two to three minutes' flight from the front line. The targets were bridges, troop or tank concentrations, artillery positions.

Oksala participated in the Lapland war, too. Bad weather and accurate German AAA took their toll from the Finnish bombers.

Oksala was married in 1944 and he had two children, born in 1945 and 1946.

He suffered a flying accident on 7.1.1946. He lost vision in one eye and suffered other damage, too, had to give up flying, and never fully recovered.

Yet he served until the end of his service years as flight controller. Then he was employed in various occupations, finally as guard in the Hame museum in Hameenlinna. He spent his retirement days in Tampere, where he lived during his youth and school years.

Oksala died 6th August 1995 in Tampere.

 

© Written by: Ossi Juntunen

 

 

Sources:

1. Karhunen, Jorma. Marskin Ritarilentajat (Espoo 1983).

2. Karhunen, Jorma. Blenheim pommittajat armottomalla taivaalla (Keuruu 1979).

3. Juurikas, Veikko. Lentomestarit Ilmavoimien historiallisia julkaisuja 1. Vammala 1999.

4. Suomen Ilmavoimien historia, vol. 2. Do 17 Z and Ju-88 (Loviisa 1999).

5. Hirvonen, Pauli. Raskaan sarjan laivueet (1956?).

6. Keskinen, Kalevi; Stenman, Kari. Suomen Ilmavoimien historia, vol. 19. LeR4. (Loviisa 2002).