Kokkinen, Yrjo Abraham.

Biography

Kokkinen, Yrjo Abraham (Yrjä); b. August 25, 1901, Helsinki (Helsingsfors), Finland; To the US September 5, 1927; Finnish American; Public school education in Finland; WWI 1917-18 served 5 months in Helmaustrand Cavalry Regiment, Finland and served in the Red Army during the Finnish Civil War as a machine-gunner; Married; Driver, Shipbuilder, and Painter; CP 1927 (1923) (August 20, 1924); Domicile Canterbury, Connecticut; Sailed September 4, 1937 aboard the Champlain; Arrived in Spain on September 18, 1937; Served with the XV BDE; Attended BDE MG School then to Lincoln-Washington BN, MG Co.; Served at Teruel and was WIA January 20, 1938; Rejoined BDE during the Retreats with Mackenzie-Papineau BN, MG Co.; Returned to hospital after the Retreats; Returned to Mackenzie-Papineau BN in August; Served at Fuentes de Ebro, Teruel, Segura de los Banos, Retreats (Gandesa), Ebro Offensive (Gandesa, Sierra Pandals and Sierra Caballs); Rank Cabo; Returned to the US on March 3, 1939 aboard the Manhattan; d. February 18, 1974, San Mateo, California, buried in Cypress Lane Memorial Park, Colma, San Mateo County, California.
Source: SACB; Cadre; XV BDE; Pay; RGASPI F. 545, Opis 6, Delo 1028, ll. 40-48 ; Finnish; Find-a-Grave #87730006; MPE.
Photographs: George Kokkinen in Spain, RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 1028.