Olavi Kauko Puro

Olavi Kauko Puro

Olavi Kauko Puro, the least known of the Finnish top aces of the 2nd WW, was born in Helsinki 18 Nov 1918. His parents could afford to give him good basic education.

During the Winter War he was in pilot training, which he completed and was promoted to 2nd Lt. 11 Feb 1941. Then he was demobilized; Finland was not at war at the moment.

He was mobilized again four months later and after more training posted to LeLv24 on 22nd June 1942. However there were more pilots than needed, the attrition rate was not as expected. On 25 Sept 1942 Puro was transferred to 3/LeLv6 to fly war-booty I-153 fighters based in Rцmpцtti near Viipuri. LeLv6 was a reconnaissance squadron, used for anti-submarine patrol and anti-shipping duties with war booty SB-2s and I-153s over the Gulf of Finland. The fighter flight was renamed as LeLv30 on 16 Nov 1942.

On 4 October 1st Lt. R. Paltila led a patrol of three I-153s on a reconnaissance flight to Lavansaari, a major Soviet Baltic Navy base. They were flying in the standard Soviet three-plane patrol, obviously to trick the enemy to misidentify the nationality of the Tchaikas. Also they approached from the East. Yet the patrol was intercepted by five Soviet I-153s. Puro (flying IT-18) shot down one of the Soviet aircraft but the Finns lost one aircraft when IT-17 was shot down and the pilot Sgt. K. Salminen drowned.

Seldom have opponents had more equal aircraft! The major difference was that the Finnish I-153 were armed with 0.30cal Browning M39 machine guns instead of the original Soviet ShKas.

His second victory was a Pe-2 on 11 Nov 1942, and the bomber crew must have been lulled into false sense of security spotting a Tchaika approaching.

On 24 March 1943 Puro was one of three pilots on recce mission as they were bounced by two Soviet I-153 near Lavansaari. The Finnish pilots were taken by surprise, and IT-13 piloted by Sgt. S. Jдnkдvaara was so badly shot up that the pilot had to do an emergency landing on the ice near Peninsaari. As the enemy disengaged Puro landed on ice next to IT-13 and at Puro's order Sgt. Jдnkдvaara climbed on the lower wing. Then Puro taxied to the nearest Finnish base. If it was Someri, then the taxiing distance would have been about 30 km. The stricken IT-13 was shot in flames to prevent it falling into enemy hands.

Puro was transferred to LeLv24 on 4th April 1943 to fly Brewsters. On 21st of the same month he was flying the BW-387 as wingman to Lt. Aulis Lumme, the leader of the 4th Flight. On an interception mission the 4th Flight encountered 3 Il-2 escorted by a number of La-5 and LaGG-3. During a 45 minute battle over the Gulf of Finland Puro shot down a La-5 and a LaGG-3.

Puro was promoted to 1st Lt. on 9 Oct 1943. At this date he had 7.5 victories.

In March-April 1944 Lt. Puro was assigned to fly photo recce missions over the enemy front line in the Carelian Isthmus with a camera equipped Brewster. The problem for the pilot was that the mission altitude was 800m which was within the range of every AA weapon. He also could not do any evasive manouver but keep on flying straight and hope for the best. Puro did encounter extremely intense AAA fire during his missions, but he was lucky and survived, also completing his missions. Several times his Brewster was buffeted off course by the pressure waves of exploding shells.

As the Soviet offensive was launched in June 1944 LeLv24 was already re-equipped with Messerschmitt 109s. Lt. Puro's score began to increase. His most successful day was 20th June 1944 as he shot down five enemies in one day.

On 14th June 1944 Puro flew two recce missions and had battle contact in each. The second mission took place 11.00-12.10 hours, the target area was Vammeljoki-Tyrisevд in the Southern coast of the Carelian Isthmus. His wingman was Lt. "Jotte" Saarinen (MT-227). As they approached it was found that the front line was under constant enemy bombardment and over the target area were flying about 100 bombers escorted by 100 fighters. As the enemy formation had released their bombs Puro could complete his mission . At the same time three enemy 70-aircraft formations were approaching. Puro (flying MT-246) shot down 2 La-5 and one Il-2 , also damaging 2 Pe-2 and 2 fighters, while Saarinen got one Il-2 and one P-39. Puro remarked in his battle report that the enemy obviously had problems in identifying the MTs as enemies, the bomber gunners did not react.

On 28th June 1944 Puro received orders to reconnoitre enemy material transports on the coastal railway line to Viipuri. The same task had been given a few hours earlier to Capt. Hans Wind, but he returned badly wounded with unaccomplished mission. Puro approached the railway line from South and radioed his observations to the base. When returning he was bounced by Yak-9s over the front line. Puro managed to shoot down one but his MT-449 also took hits and he returned to Lappeenranta wounded in the leg.

Puro's leg was put in cast and he was recuperating in the military hospital of Varkaus for a couple of weeks. Then he ran away from the hospital and reported to Capt. Karhunen in Lappeenranta on 9th July. Despite his cast he resumed flying and scored 12 more victories.

10th July 3/HLeLv24 was escorting bombers raiding the enemy bridgehead at Ayrapaa at 18.35 - 19.35 hrs. About twenty Soviet fighters of 159 IAP and 191 IAP tried to intercept the bombers about 19.00 hrs but the Finnish fighter pilots managed in keeping them away. Lt.Puro shot down 1 La-5 and 2 Yak-9, his last victim exploded in the air and showered MT-479 with oil and debris. Finally the Finnish pilot fired at a La-5 vertically from below while pulling up. Flames and smoke were emitted by the target, but Puro's MT stalled and he could not verify the fate of the La. Then Puro's plane took hits and he barely managed to return to Lappeenranta. Other pilots claimed 3 more La-5s.

Lt. Puro's final score is 36 victories. Three times Col. Magnusson put Puro's name in the short list for the Mannerheim Cross but in vain. "The quota for reserve officers" was used up, it was told by the Air Force HQ.

After the war Puro studied in the School of Economics in Helsinki and made a career in banking, retiring as data processing manager.

His religious conviction has made Mr. Puro to keep an extremely low profile about his pilot career. The commander of his squadron, "Joppe" Karhunen is probably the only one he ever agreed to grant an interview.

 

© Written by: Ossi Juntunen

 

 

Sources:

1. Kalevi Keskinen, Kari Stenman, Klaus Niska: Suomen Ilmavoimien Historia Vol. 11: Finnish Fighter Aces, Forssa 1994.

2. Kalevi Keskinen, Kari Stenman, Klaus Niska: Suomen Ilmavoimien Historia Vol. 18: LeR3, Loviisa 2001.

 

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