Eddie O. Sondeno (Eddie Emil Søndenå) was born on January 3, 1911 in Norway and emigrated to the US and was from Montana
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He was an Office of Strategic Services (OSS) member and part of Team Norso II (part of the OSS Norwegian Operation Group). His team was being transported by a B-24 (#42-50331 of the 856th Bomber Squadron, 492nd Bomber Group) to a parachute site in Norway as part of Operation Rype.
Operation Rype was a mission to impede the redeployment of enemy forces from Norway to Germany. The OSS was a precursor to the CIA.
While enroute to the parachute drop, the plane was forced to turn around due to bad weather. Upon return to Scotland, the plane lost 2 engines and the pilot directed the crew and passengers to bail out. Only the Co-Pilot was able to do so and survived. The rest perished when the plan crashed just south of Kirkwall, Orkney near St. Ola. A memorial remembers the crew and operatives on ““Liberator” Drive in Kirkwall.