In 1950 Torni signed on as crew aboard the Swedish cargo ship MS Skagen bound for the Gulf of Mexico. Lauri Alan Trni. While much of the writing is fairly vapid, that was an incredibly cool plot device. The Arlington National Cemetery is in Virginia, across the Potomac River from the nation's capital, Washington DC. Hollingsworth called Thorne a true patriot and said it was one of his deepest honors to serve on Joint Task Force Full Accounting - congressionally mandated to achieve the fullest possible accounting of U.S. troops who didn't from the war in Southwest Asia. His incredible path of true warrior started in Finland when he was born in 1919. Larry Alan Thorne was born Lauri Allan Torni on May 28, 1919. He was a natural for the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group. In 1944, during the Finns called The Continuation War, he received Finlands highest military decoration, their version of the Medal of Honor the Mannerheim Cross for his bravery while leading a light infantry battalion. He received additional training in Nazi Germany and then looked forward to returning to the battlefield. He left his home-country to fight for one that was not his native home, but for the men to the left and right of him.". The path of this extraordinary soldier to the US Army was paved by crucial legislation from Congress and the creation of a new military unit: US Army Special Forces. Major Harold Nipper flew the lead Bird Dog. Rumors swirled that this indestructible warrior had survived the crash of his aircraft and was either actively fighting against the communists or languishing in some secret POW camp. Repeatedly proving his worth, Thorne advanced in rank and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the U.S. Signal Corps in 1957. He escaped, made his way to the United States, and with the help of Wild Bill, Donovan became a citizen. After the wars, he moved to the United States. Larry Thorne (born Lauri Trni) was a war hero who fought under three different flags. Major Larry Alan Thorne is the only former member of the Waffen SS to be found there. It was a mission in which others had failed, but Thornes unrelenting spirit led to its accomplishment. Larry is related to Kenneth Thorne and Kenneth E Thorne as . The truck that killed Hannah Thorne in a street race on the New Harbour Barrens 15 months ago was travelling at 130 km/h in the seconds before the crash, a court in Harbour Grace court was told . . Dr. His valor earned him the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Mannerheim Medal. Equipped with nothing but his wits Lauri Torni made his way to New York City and established himself in Brooklyns Sunset Park among the Finnish diaspora there. Many of the K Rifles used in Vietnam were sanitized without serial numbers. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 26, 2003 with full honors along with the remains of the RVNAF casualties from the crash. In 1954 Torni enlisted in the US Army as one of around 200 foreigners accepted under the provisions of the Lodge-Philbin Act to fight the Soviets. Torni was the only Finnish officer so recognized. The men followed Thorne, knives at the ready to help their comrades who might land in the trees. It was the most sustained campaign of raiding, sabotage and intelligence gathering waged on foreign soil in US military history. The KP saw service all the way through the Israeli War for Independence and the Korean War. At the SOG PUC presentation - SOG guys with Larry Thorne Knives Submitted by Jari of Finland: Nugent Cal Ky, President of South Vietnam and Robert L. Noe: LZ Duc Co near the village and the fence along Highway 19. . The flight arrived over the target area just before sundown. Thorne fought for the Finnish and German armies against the Soviets, earning the U.S. equivalent of the Medal of Honor, before joining a fledging U.S. Special Forces, where he shared years of hardcore experience in survival, mountaineering, ski warfare, guerilla tactics and other unconventional warfare. Larry Thorne was a warriors warrior, so he naturally gravitated toward the US Special Forces. Gill, III is a graduate of the Major Larry Thorne was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 26, 2003. Regards, Clyde (Clyde J. Sincere, Jr. 11722 Lariat Lane Oakton, Virginia 22124-2323 (703) 620-0953[emailprotected]. As the men of RT Iowa prepared their weapons and gear, Major Norton and Captain Thorne brought the SVAF Kingbee, US Army Huey and USAF Forward Air Controller (FAC) aircrews together in the operations shack to plan the team's insertion at dusk. "I'm fortunate the Army sent me, or I have traveled as a tourist, to over 56 countries.". Lauri Trni enlisted at age 19 in Finlands Army and fought against the Soviet Union. Country of Loss: South Vietnam (official); Laos (actual) The book was given to Joakim by a guy called Petri around 2010 whom Joakim met in Finland while being in a sauna on a boat between Sweden and Finland. Your choices may vary.. Grow weary? Trni still enjoys an awesome reputation amongst military men even today, nearly 40 years after his demise. The future President of Finland, Mauno Koivisto, served under his command. Larry Thorne enlisted in the US Army as a private in 1954, but he was already a war hero. The third result is Larry A Thorne age 70s in Canton, OH in the Downtown Canton neighborhood. Arlington Cemetery contains about 270,000 graves, most of them belonging to individuals who served in the U.S. armed forces. Born "Lauri Trni," Thorne fought in Finland's first to last battles with Russia winning the country's equivalent of the . Lauri Allan Trni, fdd 28 maj 1919 i Viborg, Finland, dd 18 oktober 1965 i Vietnam, var en finsk ljtnant (senare kapten) under vinterkriget och fortsttningskriget.Under Lapplandskriget var han ovillig att delta i krigshandlingar mot det tidigare allierade Nazityskland; han lyckades hoppa ver till fiendens tjnst, vilket senare resulterade i en dom fr landsfrrderi. There are two soldiers Id like to have had a morning coffee and a chat with, Larry Thorne and Desmond Doss. As Christ hangs dying on the cross some of his blood wipes across Cascas lips. The remains were subsequently identified by the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. While operating in the Quang Nam Province some 25 miles from Da Nang the three aircraft encountered unexpectedly foul weather. The Finnish-American war hero is on the left in the picture with some American and South Vietnamese brothers in arms. He had simply disappeared. Men who served with him believe that Larry is still alive. He was so successful as a ski troop commander that the unit patch carried his initial T with a lightning bolt through it. His valor earned him the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Mannerheim Medal. The Soviets wanted to get their hands on Thorne and forced the Finnish government to arrest him as a wartime German collaborator. In 1957, he commissioned a second lieutenant, and he would rise to the rank of captain just as the war was on the horizon in Vietnam. Larry had no idea what to make of that and watched the others at the table eat them, then he dove in and loved them. No one was hurt, however, apart from a few bruises and contusions. by Heraklit 03 Jun 2003, 18:30. Thorne was born in Finland in 1919, and entered military service in 1938 joining the 4th . 458 Dorothy Avenue Larry Alan Thorne was born Lauri Allan Torni in Viipuri, Finland. Spec Ops Magazine 2023 All Rights Reserved. A captivating story about controversial war hero Larry A. Thorne who during World War II fought against the Russians, under the Finnish flag and later under the German flag. However, if he survived, he most certainly could have been captured by NVA forces openly operating throughout the region and his fate, like that of other Americans who remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, could be quite different. Hn palveli Suomen armeijassa kapteenina, kansallissosialistisen Saksan Waffen-SS-joukoissa 1941 Untersturmfhrerin ja 1945 Hauptsturmfhrerin (kapteeni) sek . He attended Auburn University, where he was a member of Pl Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Larry Thorne's remains were found in 1999 and formally identified in 2003. In the United Sates, Larry Thorne is forgotten by all but a few. The Mannerheim Cross is the Finnish equivalent of the US Medal of Honor. Theyre just bitter and jealous and right. Next year Lauri Trni would have celebrated his 85th birthday. Will Dabbs A native of the Mississippi Delta, Will is a mechanical engineer who flew UH1H, OH58A/C, CH47D, and AH1S aircraft as an Army Aviator. Whenever I trip over something that sounds cool I add it to the list. Larry Thorne and several of his Finnish ex-commanders where the very nucleus of the new Special Forces, Larry himself being the model for John Waynes character in the move "the Green Berets". Thorne had other plans. The story begins with the Winter War, which began with the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939, when Lauri Torni fought against attacking Red Army troops. As a result, despite his holding the Mannerheim Cross Torni was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison. Updated by the P.O.W. No one, they say, is better equipped to survive than Larry Thorne. The all aircraft circled the area looking for a way to get down to the clearing through the thick angry clouds that blanketed the area. He was memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 02E, Line 126. Soviet enemy #1. In stock It probably never occurred to them that they could be abandoned by the country they so proudly served. An athletic boy, he joined the White Guard (the Finnish civil militia) and then in 1938 joined the regular Army. Facebook gives people the power to. But is is very . View the profiles of people named Larry Thorne. With the new name of Larry Thorne, he became an officer in the Green Berets, of the Army's elite Special Forces, serving in operations in Iran and Vietnam, according to an article last year in Military Review, an Army publication. I have difficulty with casting Larry Thorne like Casca the eternal mercenary. I have heard others call Thorne a mercenary, but I think the term characterizes him wrongly. ISBN : 0-934793-65-4 There's a story behind almost every funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, but a group burial at the cemetery earlier this summer was particularly uncommon. I read Mr Saddlers casca but I think you would do it better. Actress: The DUFF. Thorne quickly made it into the U.S. Special Forces and in 1962, as a Captain, he led his detachment onto the highest mountain in Iran to recover the bodies and classified material from an American C-130 airplane that had crashed. Maj Larry Alan Thorne. At the time he went missing CPT Thorne was armed with a Swedish Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun. Then we made a mold and used it for casting these silver pieces, now used in the sheath of the knives, in the head of Larry Thorne 100 years anniversary knife and series of jewelry. Major Larry Thorne was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 26, 2003. From 1958 through 1962 Thorne served with the 10thSpecial Forces Group in Bad Tolz, West Germany. As a young adult, he enlisted in the Finish Army where he obtained the rank of Captain. Deeds that echo from the past He briefly knew him from his short time at Ft.Bragg, I think between thornes two Vietnam tours. A single casket bearing the remains of four men killed in a helicopter crash during the Vietnam War was buried June 26 with military honors. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His disappointment at not remaining at the SF assignment was quickly replaced by enthusiasm. Regardless of his background, each SF volunteer underwent strenuous physical conditioning, including paratrooper training, and was extensively tested to determine his best skills and abilities. Son of Finland and a Green Beret Abercrombie Hunter Thompson. My point wasnt so much that Thorne was a mercenary as that he fought in a lot of places for a lot of flags over a long period of time. Today, the Army Special Forces gives the Larry Thorne Award annually to its toughest Green Beret detachment. All content is protected by copyright and may not be used for commercial purposes without prior written permission. The USG has finally closed the case on Larry A. Thorne. Torni was commissioned a Vanrikki, or 2LT, in the Finnish Army. (Bees) of the mission recovered at the crash site. Although it ends a bit abruptly with his unfortunate and untimely death from a helicopter crash, his h. After the end of hostilities, the fiercely anti-Communist Trni found life at home difficult, and he emigrated to the United States. Thorne joined the U.S. Army and his expertise in guerrilla warfare led him into the Special Forces Group, where he was commissioned a first lieutenant, eventually rising to the rank of captain and commanding a Special Forces team in Vietnam, before joining SOG. Larry Alan Thorne is listed as Missing in Action. In addition to recruiting rugged individuals possessing these attributes from regular army formations, the Special Forces attracted a proven lot of hardy, versatile volunteers from Finland and other European countries through the Lodge Act, Public Law 957 of the 81st Congress, sponsored by Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Finnish operators were issued with a spare barrel to use when the first overheated. All Local Sales are FREE! Anyway watch fer snakes down there! He escaped prison three times and made his way to the United States where he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private. Helpfulness 5. Doctor Dabbs, I also love your articles wherever I find them. I will also secure a name and address in Finland for anyone desiring to dispatch a card to Juha and/or Salme, the last surviving sister of Larry. Shortly after loss, Larry Thorne was reported as Missing in Action. Once within sight of the American coast, he dove overboard and swam into Mobile, Alabama. Although his chopper crashed and he was listed MIA for over three decades, the mission was a success: his men called in 51 air strikes to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail supply stations and made it out alive. He casually mentioned to my stepdad in his heavy Finnish accent, Lockie, I have killed more men with my bare hands than you have killed doves.. Abrams Kimberly Storey. Larry also served on the Laws Railroad Museum Board of Directors. U.S. Air Force Major Harley B. Pyles, pilot; and U.S. Marine Corps Captain Winfield W. Sisson, observer and Marine MACV-SOG air liaison officer; comprised the crew of an O1E Bird Dog, call sign Bird Dog 55, the number 2 aircraft in a flight of two that would coordinate all aircraft involved in inserting RT Iowa. Larry Thorne, an already experienced warrior, quickly distinguished himself among his peers of Green Berets. In twelve years of service, he attained the rank of Major. Death. A number of Finnish dignitaries including Juha (representing the Thorne family) will be in attendance at both services. He was promoted 2/LT (9 May 1940). If anyone plans on attending request you advise me and I will be pleased to pass it on to the family. He transferred to Samford University's Howard College, where . Mike, I just keep a list. There are probably 40 or more entries on it right now and I usually add a couple each week. Call Us isola musebnd montering. In 1962, then-Captain Larry Thorne led a critical mission to recover classified materials from a US Air Force plane that crashed on a mountaintop on the Iran-Turkish-Soviet border, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Three South Vietnamese soldiers had accompanied Trni on the ill-fated helicopter flight, returning from a secret mission, probably in Laos. So they assigned Hollingsworth to the Central Identification Lab, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. One day , when Larry was over for supper at my stepdads house, they served him pickled peaches for dessert. RT New Hampshire at Dak To launch site, 1971: Maggie at FOB 2 CLUB 1970: Sgt William Callard, Laos 70, A Co, CCC: They have also lived in Dadeville, AL and Opelika, AL. After Finland's final defeat, he served with the Waffen SS and eventually received an Iron Cross. The Army would regularly conduct war games that interacted with the civilian population. Larry Thorne Against The World. We must never forget men like Thorne. Even before his death, Thorne's name was legendary in US Special Forces. Unlike similar weapons, the Suomi KP featured an easily exchanged barrel. Approximately 5 minutes after receiving the patrol's report, the other aircrews heard a constant keying of a radio for roughly 30 seconds. The second H34 dropped through a hole in the clouds to insert a six-man surveillance team. Larry is related to Gary Theodore Thorne . . By the time he has lived a century or two Casca gets very, very good at the art of soldiering. May 9, 2011. At the end of the Winter War, Torni joined the German SS to fight the Russians. His family believes he is still alive, even considering he was 70 years old this year (1989). Makes going to the doctor so much easier. Birth. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. 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