Meth Fueled Finn - Summary

Summary

Here is a concise summary of Aimo Koivunen's ordeal:

**Title:** Aimo Koivunen's Harrowing Survival Story (March 18th - April 1st, 1944)

**Summary:**

Finnish Special Forces soldier Aimo Koivunen, exhausted during a 3-day mission behind Soviet lines in 1944, took a large dose of Pervitin (methamphetamine) to stay awake. The drug induced hallucinations, paranoia, and erratic behavior, leading to his separation from his unit. Koivunen then embarked on a 14-day, 400km (250mi) journey, facing numerous challenges:

* Hallucinations and misadventures in the snowy wilderness
* Encounters with Soviet soldiers, wolves, and other perils
* Injuries, including a severely damaged foot from a landmine
* Survival on minimal food and water, eventually resorting to eating a raw bird

**Rescue and Aftermath:**

* Spotted by a Finnish plane on day 14
* Rescued by Finnish soldiers after landmine defusal
* Admitted to hospital on April 1st, 1944, with severe injuries and weighing only 43kg (95lbs)
* Recovered, but left the army due to his injuries and passed away on August 12th, 1989, at the age of 71.

Facts

Here are the key facts extracted from the text, each numbered and in short sentence form, excluding opinions:

**Event Timeline and Setting**

1. The events take place on March 18th, 1944.
2. The setting is deep in a snowy forest behind Soviet lines.
3. Aimo Allan Koivunen is a Finnish soldier from the 4th company of the 4th detached battalion of Finnish Special Forces.

**Aimo's Journey**

4. Aimo was on a 3-day mission with his unit before the events unfolded.
5. He consumed a bottle of Pervitin (methamphetamine) to increase his combat capacity.
6. The pills took effect, energizing him, but later led to erratic behavior and hallucinations.
7. Aimo was separated from his unit due to his condition.
8. He spent several days skiing through the forest, experiencing hallucinations and misadventures.

**Survival and Rescue**

9. Aimo survived by drinking water from boiled snow and eventually eating a raw Siberian Jay.
10. He was found by Finnish soldiers on April 1st, 14 days after taking the pills.
11. At the time of rescue, Aimo was 400 kilometers (250 miles) away from where he left his comrades.
12. Finnish soldiers defused landmines to reach him after being spotted by a pilot.

**Aftermath and Aimo's Later Life**

13. Aimo was admitted to hospital on April 1st, weighing 43 kgs with a heart rate of 200 bpm.
14. He remained in the hospital until late 1944 due to serious injuries.
15. Aimo left the army due to his injuries, which included the loss of some toes on his left foot.
16. He lived a long life, passing away peacefully on August 12th, 1989, at the age of 71.