He worked at sea for several years, but while hospitalized with jaundice in Cardiff, he became involved with the British Communist Party.
After the Soviet invasion of Hungary he renounced Communism and joined the Norwegian Labour Party together with his wife.
[1] Vetlesen held various jobs, both as a manual worker and electoral campaigner for the Labour Party, before being hired as information director in the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.
Vetlesen released several books about the topic, including Sjøfolkenes kamp for det hemmelige fond (1949), Reis ingen monumenter.
Av en krigsseilers saga (1989) and Syv fortellinger fra Norges krig på havet (with others, 1993).