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OSS Norso Group (Operation Rype) Memorial – Jorstadelva Bridge

<< Back to Snasa – Jorstadelva River Bridge

Details:

Just off the road, before the river bridge, opposite side from the railroad on the south side of the river.

Monument


The memorial (Jørstadelva Krigsminne) consists of too upright stones placed at a slight angle to each other with an inscribed brass plaque on the front of each; the stones are about 8 feet tall.  The memorial also includes a multi-lingual information board.

 

One stone at the memorial remembers the Operation Rype conducted by the of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Operational Group Norso (I/II) which conducted combined US-Norwegian operations in this are during March-May 1945.

 

The other stone remembers Operation Woodlark, the Combined British Special Operations Executive (SOE)- Norwegian operation which destroyed the bridge in January 1945.

 

Operation Rype was an OSS Mission led by Major William Colby (later a Director of the CIA) the Leader of the OSS Norwegian Operation Group which included teams Norso I & II with the mission of impeding the redeployment of 350,000 enemy forces from Norway to Germany in 1945. The OSS Team was partially recruited from the 99th Infantry Battalion (Sep) (Norway) who formed the core of the OSS Norwegian Operation group; the OSS was a precursor to the present day CIA. Operation Rype (Grouse) was highly successful despite the loss of two aircraft delivering reinforcements.

 

 

 

Special thanks to the OSS Gjefsjoen Group for assistance with this memorial.  OSS Gjefsjoen is a group that fosters the memory of Operation Rype and works out of the former HQ of Operation Rype at  the Gjefsjøen fjellgård.

Monument Text:

The text on the OSS plaque is written in Norwegian and reads:

 

FRA MARS 1945 TIL KRIGENS

SLUTT GJENNOMFORTE

SOLDATER FRA U.S.

OSS NORSO GROUP OG

NORSKE MOTSTANDSFOLK

SABOTASJER MOT

NORDLANDSBANEN

FRA BASE I SNÅSAFJELLENE.

OPERASJONEN MEDFORTE TAP

AV AMERIKANSKE OG TYSKE

 

The translation in English:

 

FROM MARCH 1945 UNTIL THE 

END OF THE WAR 

SOLDIERS FROM THE US

OSS NORSO GROUP AND

NORWEGIAN RESISTANCE

CONDUCTED SABOTAGE OPERATIONS

AGAINST THE NORWEGIAN RAIL SYSTEM

FROM BASES IN SNÅSA MUNICIPALITY

RESULTING IN LOSSES 

OF BOTH AMERICAN AND GERMAN PERSONNEL

Commemorates:

People:

William Egan  Colby

Units:

99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) (Norwegian)

Office of Strategic Services (OSS)

OSS

OSS-Norwegian Operational Group (Norso I/ Norso II)

Resistance

Wars:

WWII

Battles:

Operation Carpetbagger

Operation Rype

Other images :