Gerd Julie Bergljot Pettersen worked for the Norwegian telephone company, and also helped distribute illegal documents. Her husband Alf Pettersen took the initiative to help a number of people escape to Sweden.
Gerd Pettersen was expecting a child and had health problems during her pregnancy. Alf had promised her to pause his escape aid activities until the baby was born in March 1943. When the rescue campaign was to be continued on a larger scale she agreed, however, and carried out important tasks herself.
Gerd Pettersen acted as the secretary of the Carl Fredriksen Transport escape aid network. She checked the lists, forged the papers for the trucks, answered the telephone when one of the local helpers called, and passed on warnings to the helpers. To protect her, her husband got hold of a small revolver, which she carried with her when she left the house.
The network was betrayed at the start of 1943. On January 15, 1943, Gerd and Alf Pettersen fled to Sweden in a heavy snowstorm. Their son was born two months later.