Evening star., 1940-01-06
Finnish-American
Volunteers Reach
Northern War Fronts
Contingent Is First to
Arrive; 400 More
Believed on Way
BY LELAND STOWE,

Chicago Daily News FOREIGN Correspondent.
SOMEWHERE in EASTE R N
FINLAND, Jan. Delayed The
first Finnish American volunteers, a
group of So husky young men,
reached Finland a few days ago
They are already in uniform and
in small sections have been dis
patched to different fronts. We
talked with 18 of them here and
learned that they sailed from New
York on December 9 on the first
boat they could take. A few Of
their number were born in America,
but have been educated in this
country.
The sergeant in command of their
newly formed platoon had lived in
Canada for II years and came from
Montreal.
Il had to leave my car in the
back yard" he said. Il had no
time to sell it because we had only
few days in which to get ready.
Yes, I have a wife and children,
but I left them In Montreal. I was
a navy man before, but I thought
our navy did not have much to do,
50 I thought the ski service might
be better"
Ski Champion In Group.
Edward Wallenius born in New
York, who is skiing champion,
was in this group. He said that
he had no trouble in getting over
because he had attended school In
Finland and he was most anxious
to send his regards to American
skiers who are his friends.
Another volunteer, DIVA Halonen.
was born in Ironwood. Mich, and
had been working on Rhode Island
farm for the past two years. After
his father died in a mine accident,
Halonen's mother brought him to
Finland, at the age of 4, but he re-
turned to America in 1898. He went
to night school for three months to
learn English. II like America very
much" he said. but like this coun-
try. too." He has a brother fighting
on the Kareian Isthmus Asked if
he had seen his mother since he ar
rived, Halonen replied. with a curl
ously frank smile, "No-maybe I
won't see her any more"
The Finnish Americans were well
equipped and wore the knee-high
leather boots with upturned toes
which are made in Lapland. One
Finn among them had been working
on an oil tanker in Texas when the
war broke out and had hitch linked
his way to New York to catch his
boat.
Nobody asked me, but couldn't
stay there any more" he explained
simply.
One Volunteer 1S Years Old.
The youngest volunteer was Erik
Bohm, aged 18. He had been hv-
ing with his sister in Northeast
Maryland for year and his COM
rades all call him Hollywood" due
to his enthusiasm for the American
movies. You weren't asked to come,
were you?" I asked him. Now he
looked me straight in the eye. "You
hAlOW Willy l ulu, 1lC odAO
We learned that two other 18-
year-olds came over on the same
ship and that they had carried their
American nicknames, Sonny Boy"
and Robert Taylor, 3D." with them
into battalion on the isthmus.
These young men were all GER
tain that many more would be fol-
lowing them from the United States,
where 100000 Finnish-Americans
now live. They said that 400 vol
unteers were supposed to have sailed
10 days ago. and spoke hopefully
about a possible Finnish American
battalion eventually being born.
There were no representatives
from Wisconsin or Minnesota in
this first group. which had sailed
before the Middle Westerners could
reach New York.
(Copyrieht. 1910, By Chicago Daily
News, Inc)