Decorah’s Sons of Norway Valdres Lodge invites everyone to meet Mitch Utterback and view a documentary Hardangerfolk by Scotica Film and SOE Expeditions about the WWII Heroes of Telemark.

Mitch Utterback embarked on a ski expedition in February 2023 that commemorated an important moment in World War II history. His expedition followed the path of Norwegian commandos who raced to a power plant in February 1943. Their mission – stop the Nazis. The commandos went down in history as the “Heroes of Telemark.”

In 2023, Utterback joined an international team of 12 other military veterans to retrace the route of the saboteurs, skiing from Vemork, Norway, to the Swedish border. Utterback is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces soldier.

The expedition Utterback took part in was hosted by S.O.E Expeditions. This organization trains participants to follow in the footsteps of World War II heroes. Utterback and the other veterans relived the sabotage operation, testing their endurance in the beautiful but unforgiving winter terrain. They traveled at about 2 mph, sleeping in cabins, tents, and improvised snow shelters on their historic journey.

The documentary and Utterback’s presentation will discuss the expedition’s biggest questions. What does it take to cross-country ski across during the Norwegian winter? How did the commandos do it in 1943 with antiquated equipment while being pursued by the Germans? What can we learn about ourselves when we induce risk, push boundaries and do it for a greater, selfless cause?

Decorah Sons of Norway Valdres Lodge 503, District 1, holds community meetings each month to share educational and informational activities. Everyone is welcome to join.