by Ted Koppel With the launching of the German Operation BARBAROSSA against Russia on 22 June 1941, Estonians in Finland (either volunteers who had fought in the Russo-Finnish ‘Winter War’ or later escapees when Russian forces had taken over Estonia in June 1940) immediately planned a return to their occupied homeland to help in its liberation. On 23 June a special group, code-named “Erna,” was authorized and immediately began the training and orientation of Estonian volunteers. About sixty-five men were selected, including some specially trained radio operators. At the start of July, the initial group was sworn in (in Helsinki) and departed for their launching point on an island in the Gulf of Finland. After about a week’s delay due to bad weather and enemy naval movement, the main component landed their boats on the Estonian coast and moved inland with no enemy contact. Two attempts to land four more boatloads of men, escorted by Finnish torpedo boats, were intercepted by S...