Erling Ove Kruse (born 10 August 1922 in Oslo) is a decorated Norwegian Colonel. Kruse was the son of teacher and pastor Just Kruse (1886–1962) and Grete Eline Kruse (née Kinn, 1893-1959) In 1944 he married Eunice M. Kruse (née Cooklin, 1925). He is the brother of physiotherapist Astrid E. Kruse Andersen (b. 1926) and the father of the composer and musician Bjørn Kruse (b. 1946) and the orchestra leader and musician Philip Kruse (b. 1949) and grandfather of Jannike, Anine og Benedikte Kruse.