Embassy invites Defense Minister Strøm-Erichsen and military VIPs to a tour of- and reception on USS Barry (May 8)
On May 8, Ambassador Benson Whitney commemorated Norwegian Liberation Day alongside the Norwegian Minister of Defense Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen onboard USS Barry, a guided missile destroyer from the United States Atlantic Fleet, which visited Oslo from 5 to 9 May.
Initially, the Minister and Ambassador toured the destroyer, which included a look into the navigation and combat systems, and highlighted the ship’s similarities with the Royal Norwegian Navy’s NANSEN-class Aegis frigates.
Following this tour, the Minister and Ambassador delivered an address to the reception guests to honor fallen heroes on Liberation Day, and to chart the course for the future of the U.S. – Norway bilateral relationship.
Guests of honor were:
Minister of Defense, Anne-Grette Strøm-Erichsen
Director General Svein Efjestad
Lieutenant General Harald Sunde
Commodore Haakon Bruun-Hanssen
Ms. Ragnhild Mathisen
Colonel Gjermund Eide
Others present at the reception were ambassadors, ministers, and honored guests from the Norwegian Government and the Oslo diplomatic community. The Embassy and the USS BARRY crew were particularly honored by the presence of WW II Resistance fighter Gunnar Sønsteby.
Read Ambassador Whitney’s speech here.