Katrin Stordalen
Katrin Stordalen | |
|---|---|
 Stordalen (right) receiving an award in 2016 | |
| Born | 6 May 1988 Lindenfels, Aarberg, Acrea |
| Allegiance |  Acrea |
| Service/ | Acrean Army |
| Years of service | 2006-Present |
| Rank | Kommandsersjant |
| Unit | 1st Armoured Battalion, 1st Royal Dane Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Zemplen War |
| Awards | see below |
Katrin Lisbeth Stordalen (born 6 May 1990) is an Acrean tank commander and tank ace of the Midsummer and Zemplen Wars.
Born in Daneland in 1990, Stordalen enlisted in the Acrean Army at the age of 17. She underwent basic training at Norderstedt Kaserne in Steiermark before receiving her first choice assignment and being sent to the Pansarschule Rynningeviken to undergo armour training. After completing her basic crewman's course with high marks, she specialised as a gunner and received a promotion to Corporal, and was assigned to an Strv 124M of the 1st Armoured Battalion, 1st Royal Dane Regiment.
First seeing combat during Operation Harpe, Stordalen's tank was deployed at a strongpoint in the Ruvelkan defensive line. Over the course of the battle, her vehicle destroyed several Syaran vehicles, inluding three Myrmidon tanks. She participated in sporadic fighting over the summer of 2009, before being deployed as part of Ruvelkan General Novák's armoured spearhead during Operation Overshadow. Stordalen received special commendations for actions on 20 September, when a Syaran armoured counterattack saw severe damage inflicted on the Ruvelkan-Acrean armoured forces, including the loss of two Panteras and one crew fatality for the Acrean contingent. During this action, Stordalen's platoon, assisted by infantry armed with anti-tank weapons and 120mm mortar fire, was responsible for the destruction of 21 tanks and numerous other vehicles from their defensive hull-down positions. Her tank personally claimed 7 enemy tanks and 18 other armoured vehicles destroyed on 20 September. She saw only sporadic fighting over the autumn and winter of 2009. She later took part and saw heavy combat during Operation Homefront. After the original commander of her crew was sent to officer's training, Stordalen was promoted in his place and took command of the crew which took possession of an Strv 124C in early 2011.
The practice of recognising tank aces is a tradition that dates back to the Eracuran Great War in the Acrean military. Official records of vehicles destroyed are kept as a matter of course, and gunner's sight images were extensively recorded during the Zemplen War for use in debriefings and after-action reports. Stordalen's tank recorded 26 enemy tanks and 68 other armoured vehicles destroyed during the Zemplen War, a tally thought to have been attributed to by her regiment's deployment at locations which saw the heaviest fighting during many operations. This ranks her very highly among other Acrean tank aces during the war.
She is the niece of Chief of Defence Staff Eirik Stordalen.