Richard Markus Otter

Andre Hendelser og Egenskaper:

• Magasin / Avisoppslag: 6 Feb 1947; Served with the Forces of Three Countries. Richard Otter of Brooklyn, N. Y. writes to "Nordisk Tidende" about the Servicemen's column: "I think you have an exellent idea here and the information you may print here I feel will gain as much interest in Norway as amongst the Norwegian-Americans." Born in Horten, Norway on July 15, 1905, he has served in the forces of three different countries. At the outbreak of the war he was in China, where he had served nine years with the Chinese Coast Guard Service. He immediately volunteered his services to the Royal Norwegian Navy and was sent to Canada as a Lieutenant and Instructor at the Navy's Camp Norway. After 3-4 months service, he became Commanding Officer of this camp. He remained there until shortly after "Pearl Harbor", when he was ordered to New York to organize the Merchant Marine Defense of the Royal Norwegian Navy together with Captain Hans Solheim. This office armed about 400 Norwegian Merchant ships. At this time the Office of Strategic Services of the U. S. Army requested the Norwegian Admiralty for the loan and later transfer of his services to the U.S. Army for duty in China. The request was granted and after six weeks training with the Army, he was flown to China. In 1945 a commission of Major was granted, but as the work and duties of the OSS unit was to be discontinued, he did not accept but resigned. His family name originally was Stray, a scotch clan still existing in Scotland. His forefather settled in Norway about 200 years ago, married a Norwegian farm girl by the Otter River (Kristiansand). The name Otter was taken from the Otter River. His father Amund Otter is a native of Moss. On his mothers side — his mother was born in France of a French father and a Norwegian mother, and settled in Norway when she was 17. At nineteen she married Richards father, who was then a Captain in the Norwegian Navy. They are now residing in Oslo. Richard Otter is married to Alexandra nee Karnauhoff, Russian, and is the father of three daughters, seven, five and two years old. (306).

Familie/Ektefelle/partner: Alexandra Karnauhoff. [Gruppeskjema] [Familiediagram]