Torger Tokle

Torger Tokle (March 7, 1919 – March 3, 1945) was a Norwegian-born American ski jumper and military officer. During his six-year jumping career he won 42 of 48 tournaments and set 24 hill records. He died in action during the battle of Iola di Montese in Italy in 1945. In 1959 he was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

In October 1942 he enlisted in the US army, serving first in the infantry and then in the 10th Mountain Division, where he joined an assortment of the finest skiers in North America. Their numbers included Walter Prager, Peter Gabriel, Friedl Pfeiffer, and Ludwig Foeger.

Tokle was killed during Operation Encore. While he and his ammunition carrier, Arthur Tokola, attempted to neutralize a German machine gun position with a bazooka, an enemy artillery round detonated the bazooka shells carried by Tokola on his back, killing both men. Tokle was well liked by his fellow soldiers, and his death affected many of them; one considered Tokle's death "the worst day of the war".

After his death, Torger's brothers Kyrre and Arthur E. Tokle moved to the U.S., becoming established ski jumpers and coaches.