Bjarne Øen (6 November 1898 – 20 September 1994) was a Norwegian pilot, military officer and Lieutenant General of the
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...
. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
he played a central role in building up the
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...
in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. He served as
Chief of Defence of Norway
The Chief of Defence (''Forsvarssjefen'') is the highest-ranking officer of the Norwegian Armed Forces, second only to the King of Norway. Even though he holds the same rank as the King of Norway, according to the Norwegian Constitution the King ...
from 1957 to 1963.
Biography
Adolf Bjarne Øen was born in Kristiania (now
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
), Norway. He was the son of Ole O. Øen (1860–1927) and Marie Eline Stuve (1873–1964).
[ He graduated from the ]Norwegian Military Academy
The Norwegian Military Academy (), in Oslo, educates officers of the Norwegian Army and serves as the King's Royal Guard. The academy was established in 1750, and is the oldest institution for higher education in Norway.
History
The Commander- ...
in 1920, and from the Norwegian Military College in 1923. From 1923–1924, he was a student at Hæren Flight School, where he continued as an instructor until 1925. At the time of the start of World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Captain Øen was the airport manager of the newly opened Fornebu Airport
Oslo Airport, Fornebu ( no, Oslo lufthavn, Fornebu), was the primary international airport serving Oslo and Eastern Norway from 1 June 1939 to 7 October 1998. It was then replaced by Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, and the area has since been redev ...
outside Oslo.
After the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway until the ...
in 1940, he was appointed temporary chief (General Inspector) for Norwegian Army Air Force. When the Norwegian Army Air Service
The Norwegian Army Air Service (NoAAS) ( no, Hærens flyvåpen) was established in 1914.Official Norwegian Defence Force websiteHistory of the Royal Norwegian Air Force Its main base and aircraft factory was at Kjeller. On 10 November 1944, the ...
training camp in southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a primary region of the province of Ontario, Canada, the other primary region being Northern Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada. The exact northern boundary of Southern Ontario is disp ...
(Little Norway
Little Norway ( no, Lille Norge), officially (FTL, "Air Force Training Camp"), was a Norwegian Army Air Service/Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp in southern Ontario during the Second World War.
Origins
When Nazi Germany attacked Norway o ...
) was opened November 1940, Øen was assigned to oversee training. When Ole Reistad arrived at the camp in 1941, Øen was transferred to London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
as chief of staff to Commander in Chief Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen
Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen (7 June 1890 – 3 June 1965) was a Norwegian aviation pioneer, military officer, polar explorer and businessman. Among his achievements, he is generally regarded a founder of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
Background
Riis ...
. In 1942, Øen was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...
was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces in 1944. In January 1945 he conducted an inspection trip in Norway in preparation for the planned liberation of Norway. After the war, Lieutenant General Øen took over the position of Chief of the Air Force, a position he held for five years. After that he was in charge of the Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy
The Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy (RNoAFA) is the Norwegian Air Force's college which conducts officer training for the RNoAF and the Norwegian Armed Forces
The Norwegian Armed Forces ( no, Forsvaret, , The Defence) is the military organi ...
for three years. He served as Chief of Defence of Norway
The Chief of Defence (''Forsvarssjefen'') is the highest-ranking officer of the Norwegian Armed Forces, second only to the King of Norway. Even though he holds the same rank as the King of Norway, according to the Norwegian Constitution the King ...
(''sjef for Forsvarsstaben'') from 1957 to 1963.
Honors
In 1929, Øen received the King's Medal of Merit
The King's Medal of Merit (Norwegian: ''Kongens fortjenstmedalje'') is a Norwegian award. It was instituted in 1908 to reward meritorious achievements in the fields of art, science, business, and public service. It is divided in two classes: gold ...
(''Kongens fortjenstmedalje'') in gold. In 1947 he was awarded the title of Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a ci ...
, for his war contributions. Among foreign awards, he also received the American Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
, the French Légion d'honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
and was made a Honorary Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
. He died during 1994 and was buried at Vestre gravlund
Vestre Gravlund is a cemetery in the Frogner borough of Oslo, Norway. It is located next to the Borgen metro station. At , it is the largest cemetery in Norway. It was inaugurated in September 1902 and also contains a crematorium (''Vestre kre ...
in Oslo.
References
External links
*Jens Chr. Hauge (2014
''Tale for General Bjarne Øen på hans 95 års fødselsdag 6. november 1993''
(Stiftelsen norsk Okkupasjonshistorie)
Related reading
*Fredrik Meyer (1973) ''Hærens og marinens flyvåpen : 1912–1945'' (Oslo: Gyldendal)
*Per Conradi Hansen (2007) ''Little Norway, a message of Liberty to the Hills of home'' (Military Historical Foundation of Eastern Norway)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oen, Bjarne
1898 births
1994 deaths
Military personnel from Oslo
Norwegian Military Academy alumni
Norwegian Army Air Service personnel of World War II
NATO military personnel
Norwegian military attachés
Royal Norwegian Air Force generals
Chiefs of Defence (Norway)
Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit
Honorary Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Recipients of the Legion of Honour
Recipients of the King's Medal of Merit in gold
Recipients of the Order of the Falcon
Burials at Vestre gravlund