Thorleif Bygnes (Norway/Canada)

Thorleif Bygnes began his sea service in the Norwegian MN in 1937. After serving in the deck department on four vessels, and surviving three torpedoings, he attended Radio School at Little Norway in Toronto, Ontario August of ’41, receiving his license the following May. Thorleif then joined the M/T Trondheim as Chief Radio Officer, later serving aboard the S/S Brush, M/T Thorsholm and M/T Marina. It was while aboard Marina after war’s end that Thorleif had to send out an SOS when the tanker caught fire off the west coast of Panama. A fireboat came out from Panama and, although heavily damaged, the tanker was able to continue on to New York for drydocking and repairs. Thorleif’s last ship was M/S Vinland and he served aboard her until December of ’50 when he ‘swallowed the hook’ making his home in Ontario, Canada. Thorleif’s amateur radio call is VE3JPN and he is very active on the HF bands.