It was rather sad that many of the Foreign Waffen SS conscripts and recruits faced similar dilemmas to Maj. Thorn after WW 2. "To negotiate with senior Vietnamese colonels about sites, cost to the U.S. government, and to brief U.S. Embassy officials on my teams' presence, as a captain, was pretty exciting. 28 May 1919. Larry is related to Kenneth Thorne and Kenneth E Thorne as . . Tainted and painted with the same brush that condemned the SS, even though many were front line soldiers and not the infamous SS Totenkopfverbnde Prison Guards responsible for the atrocities in the labor and death camps. "Men like Larry are called to serve others," said Hollingsworth, "but not all volunteer for the types of training and assignments Larry did. Larry Thorne, missing in action for decades, was given full honors and laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery June 26, 2003. The 5th Special Forces Group channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forces unit) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their cover while under secret orders to MACV-SOG. The USG has finally closed the case on Larry A. Thorne. An athletic boy, he joined the White Guard (the Finnish civil militia) and then in 1938 joined the regular Army. The mystery about Larry Thornes death was finally put to rest in 1999 after the remains of the legendary Special Forces soldier were recovered from the crash site. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Larry Thorne would have been 97 next month. The Mississippi Delta was indeed a fascinating place to grow up. Next, he went to Vietnam, he and his 7th Special Forces A-734 established the camp at Tinh Bien in April 1964 near the Delta's Seven Mountains area, which bushwacked so many Viet Cong that it becamse a serious thorn to the VC lifeline into Cambodia. Lawrence Thorn, 77 Resides in Dallas, TX Also known as Larry B Thorn Includes Address (1) See Results Lawrence T Thorn, 64 Resides in Cincinnati, OH Lived In Cambridge OH, Belmont MA, Boston MA, Denver CO Related To Nancy Thorn, James Thorn, Heidi Thorn, Jacob Thorn, Eva Thorn Also known as L T Thorn, Lawrence T Includes Address (9) Phone (5) ", Nation committed to bringing home missing heroes. He served as an infantry offcier in the U.S. Army and currently Larry Thorne, missing in action for decades, to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Lauri Allan Trni (28 May 1919 - 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Alan Thorne, was a Finnish soldier who fought under three flags: as a Finnish Army Second Lieutenant of the Fourth Independent Jger Infantry Battalion against the Soviets in the Winter War and the Soviet-Finnish sub-theater of World War II known as the Continuation War; as a German Army Captain (under the alias Larry . During one particularly intense attack on CIDG forces at Tjnh Bien he earned a Bronze Star for Valor. As the legendary leader of one of the most elite companies in the Finnish army, one of the best armies of World War II, Thorne carried a price on his head, dead or alive, from the Red Army, reputedly the only Finnish soldier so singled out. 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 . See my book Born a Soldier, the Times and Life of Larry Thorne, or my website for more insight about all this. John Raybon -- who actually ran the club during my time there -- later died in a UH-1 crash in El Salvador. As Christ hangs dying on the cross some of his blood wipes across Cascas lips. Thorne is a national hero in his birth country of Finland and a military hero in the country for which he swore al Congress Confirms the Armys first Lead Special Trial Counsel, New E-EFMP system supports Army families with special needs members, Army Officials Brief The Media On The Next Generation Squad Weapon, Local Vietnam veterans showcase personal objects from their service, Army announces activation of second Security Force Assistance Brigade at Fort Bragg, U.S. Army STAND-TO! He had simply disappeared. On June 4, 2003, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA, now DPAA) identified the remains of Major Larry Alan Thorne, missing from the Vietnam War. Larry Alan Thorne was born on May 28, 1919 and joined the Armed Forces while in Norwalk, Connecticut. Lauri Torni: The dude who really hated communists. All Filters. "Anytime you can bring a service member home and give families closure, there's nothing better," said Hollingsworth, who recalled the look on families faces when they get the news. A number of Finnish dignitaries including Juha (representing the Thorne family) will be in attendance at both services. That is where Lauri Trni saw his opportunity for a new beginning. Major Dabbs eventually resigned his commission in favor of medical school where he delivered 60 babies and occasionally wrung human blood out of his socks. This border road was used by the Communists to transport weapons, supplies and troops from North Vietnam into South Vietnam, and was frequently no more than a path cut through the jungle covered mountains. Copyright 2023 by arlingtoncemetery.net. Petri kept nagging Joakim that he should made a song about Lauri Allan Trni. During two tours in Vietnam with the MACV-SOG, Thorne ran deep cover into Cambodia and Laos to track down the North Vietnamese supply network that became known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In thick clouds near the Laotian border, the helicopter crashed into a mountaintop. FINALLY after 37+ years CLOSURE. Three missions had attempted to get to the crash site and failed, so Thorne parachuted in, made his way up 14,000-feet deep in enemy territory, recover the data and snuck out undetected.. The men followed Thorne, knives at the ready to help their comrades who might land in the trees. Deeds that echo from the past In February 1965, then Captain Larry Thorne returned to Long Thanh, South Vietnam for his second tour of duty. So they assigned Hollingsworth to the Central Identification Lab, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. He was the eternal soldier. "I had been selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned post company command to 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg.". Ventura, CA 93003. American military men in Vietnam and Laos were called upon to fly and fight in many dangerous circumstances, and they were prepared to be wounded, killed or captured. Three missions had attempted to get to the crash site and failed, so Thorne parachuted in, made his way up 14,000-feet deep in enemy territory, recover the data and snuck out undetected. Larry Alan Thorne is listed as Missing in Action. Thorne is a national hero in his birth country of Finland and a military hero in the Capt. At the time he went missing CPT Thorne was armed with a Swedish Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun. 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. Hi DR. Dabbs, as usual a great article! 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. BACKGROUND: War hero's unbelievable life in the service of two countries, DNA testing to resolve the fate of Larry Thorne (14.9.1999) Trni was not the only Finnish soldier to serve under more than one flag, as this article indicates: Finnish officer becomes legend in US Army (3.10.2000). DNA analysis confirmed the identities of the aircrew while dental records proved Lauri Trni alias Larry Thorne had died on that fateful night in 1965, Helsingin Sanomat reported. Does anyone know how to get in touch with John Voter? No one, they say, is better equipped to survive than Larry Thorne. Lauri Allan Trni (28 May 1919 - 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Thorne, was a Finnish Army captain. Remanded to a POW camp in Lubeck, Torni ultimately escaped and made his way back to Finland soon after VE Day. Trni had a dental crown on his tooth number 18. The Seahorse was frequently used to insert MACV-SOG teams into Laos. View the profiles of people named Larry Thorne. Turn-ons include vintage German machineguns, flying his sexy-cool RV6A airplane, Count Chocula cereal, and the movie Aliens., Previous post: Alaska Arms: Ruger M77 Rings and Extra Round Floorplate, Your email address will not be published. In US Marines Trni was known as Larry Thorne. The last picture of Larry Thorne was taken three days before he disappeared. He attended Edgecombe County Public Schools as a graduate of the class of 1973. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Neverending fame, victory reclaimed The wartime head of the OSS knew of Thorne's commando exploits. Thorne had other plans. He joined the US Army because of the Lodge-Philbin Act, from June 1950, which allowed foreigners to enter the US military and allowed them citizenship if they served honorably for at least five years. On his second tour in Vietnam in 1965, assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group, Thorne was involved in the secret war in Laos. As part of Special Forces Detachment A-734 Thorne worked with the Civilian Irregular Defense Groups. The second best result is Larry Edward Thorne age 60s in Auburn, AL. Abrams Kimberly Storey. Eventually, he attended airborne school and earned his silver wings as a Green Beret. If anything, his American commanding officers, peacetime and wartime, considered him one of the most professional soldiers they had ever met. Excellent nurse also:) Always returns your calls, highly recommend! His family believes he is still alive, even considering he was 70 years old this year (1989). But instead of surrendering, he joined up with the Nazi German SS to continue his fight against the Soviets. SYNOPSIS: Larry Alan Thorne was born Lauri Allan Torni on May 28, 1919. Two of the South Vietnamese lieutenants were identified from DNA samples. Shout, Lauri Trnis name Your choices may vary.. Grow weary? He hit the ground running, travelling the globe 280 days out of the year on recovery missions. He graduated from Cordova High School in 1953. 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. 2. Lauri Allan Trni (28 May 1919 - 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Thorne, was a Finnish Army captain who led an infantry company against the Soviet Uni. Top 3 Results for Larry Thorne in AL. I thought that I was the only Casca fan! Thorne's photo is maintained in a pre-capture photo group shown to defectors for POW/MIA identifications purposes, yet Thorne was classified killed in action the day after the crash. Thorne was born in Finland in 1919, entered the Finnish army in 1938 and fought in the 1939-40 war against the Soviet Union. . There he entered the U.S. military and became a decorated and much-revered Vietnam War hero in Special Forces. In 1999 a US/VN JTF/FA conducted an excavation of a CH-34 KINGBEE crash site and recovered several fragments of bones, miscellaneous equipment and a Swedish K SMG. Time and Location as yet to be determined. 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. Facebook gives people the power to. Trni was a dedicated and brave soldier, and he quickly rose to the rank of captain and took command of a group of ski troops. Original Name. When rescue workers went to the site, they recovered the remains of the Vietnamese crew, but found no sign of Larry Thorne. Their war with the Soviets waxed and waned through 1944 until it formally ended with the Moscow Armistice. Deeds that echo from the past Of the many distinguished officers the 20 th century produced, Larry Thorne was one of the most romantic and enigmatic. Been a hectic week, so Im a few days late reading this one. Will works in his own urgent care clinic, shares a business build-ing precision rifles and sound suppressors, and has written for the gun press since 1989. to the site, they recovered the remains of the Vietnamese crew, but found no sign of Larry Thorne. Buddy was born in the Mill Village in Cordova, Alabama, on June 12, 1935. Major Larry Thorne was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 26, 2003. Keep it up ! She has three siblings, Remy Thorne, Dani Thorne and Kaili Thorne, all of whom have also acted. Call Us isola musebnd montering. Lauri Trni enlisted at age 19 in Finlands Army and fought against the Soviet Union. A traditional American military officer's burial is to be expected, with trumpets and salutes, says Trni's nephew Juha Rajala, who is also the Vice President of the Lauri Trni Tradition Guild in Finland. From 1958 through 1962 Thorne served with the 10thSpecial Forces Group in Bad Tolz, West Germany. War still beating in his heart Many believed he was exactly the sort of near-indestructible soldier who would have simply walked back out of the jungle, and they found it hard to believe he had been killed, Helsingin Sanomat writes. Three of those laid to rest were South Vietnamese Air Force crew members. Name: Larry Alan Thorne 31 people named Larry Thorne found in Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Fresno and 6 other cities. As the Kingbees and Huey gunships flew low over the countryside, all they could see were rolling hills, wild rivers and waterfalls. Slats and his RT conducted a successful mission and returned to Kham Duc at a later date. But the recovery missions were, hands-down, his favorite assignment. As he came of age, Lauri joined the national reserve of the Finnish Army. Thorne had other plans. Related Tags: Tornis marauders caused such consternationamong Soviet combat formations that they put a bounty of three million Finnish marks on his head. Lauri Allan Trni (vuodesta 1954 Larry A. Thorne; 28. toukokuuta 1919 Viipuri - 18. lokakuuta 1965 Khm cin alue, Etel-Vietnam) oli kolmen maan armeijassa palvellut suomalainen sotilas ja Mannerheim-ristin ritari. Thorne was selected for the Special Forces and ultimately led an important mountain rescue mission to a crashed USAF plane in the middle east. It is to them that we owe our freedom. He was memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 02E, Line 126. Now the three lie together with Thorne in America's most hallowed ground, a unique ending to a unique story. His is simply too good of a story, especially with the effects possible today and the renewed interest in historical warfare due to such great games like Call of Duty. At the same time, these individuals had to be independent thinkers, able to grasp opportunities and innovate with the materials at hand. CPT Thorne was listed as missing and was subsequently promoted to Major. Three missions had attempted to get to the crash site and failed, but Captain Larry Thorne grabbed his shit, parachuted in with a 12-man team, made his way up 14,000 feet of elevation deep in enemy territory, and somehow recovered the data and snuck out of there undetected. Thorne was declared killed in action by the Army in 1966. [emailprotected]writes: Gentlemen: Great News. 2. Photographic evidence of Tornis service with the Waffen SS is scant. Intense search efforts were initiated at first light the next morning and continued for the next month, but found not trace of the missing Kingbee, its crew and passenger. There is comfort in that knowledge that no matter where you go to perform your duties, that commitment is still there. During Finland's wars against the former Soviet Union, he was awarded every medal for bravery that Finland could bestow including the Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, which is the equivalent of the American Congressional Medal of Honor. * The original article was originally published at the We Are The Mighty. Larry Thorne enlisted in the US Army as a private in 1954, but he was already a war hero. On the sheath is casted silver Os Lauri Trni Perinnekilta ry (Larry Thorne heritage guild) logo and the end plate of the knife is silver with welded guild logo. The award commemorates Special Forces legend Larry Thorne a technically and tactically proficient warrior who was always on the offensive. After the end of hostilities, the fiercely anti-Communist Trni found life at home difficult, and he emigrated to the United States. Larry Thorne - Special Forces Legend. Abercrombie Hunter Thompson. During the early years of World War II, he developed, trained and commanded the Finish ski troops. There are probably 40 or more entries on it right now and I usually add a couple each week. He was promoted 2/LT (9 May 1940). Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia. The Lauri Trni Tradition Guild has planned a trip to Vietnam, to the site of their hero's death. Major Thornes remains were finally definitively identified in 2003, and he and his teammates were repatriated to the US. Would be interested on how you came upon this item to write about. CPT Larry Thorne deployed on his second combat tour in Vietnam in February 1965 with the 5thSpecial Forces Group. Lane Raven Dawn. From various contemporary press reports: Larry Thorne Against The World. Larry "Mike" Thorne, pastor of Abundant Life Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to thirty years in prison for repeatedly sexually molesting a church teenager. Not that being put into a prison camp would stop him either. These unconventional warfare warriors had to be able to master critical military skills needed to train and lead guerrilla warriors, to be inserted anywhere in the world by any means of transportaion, to survive the most hostile environment, and to take care of themselves and others under the pressures of harsh combat conditions and isolation. He transferred to Samford University's Howard College, where . While fighting the Soviets during the Continuation War Torni developed a reputation for audacity and inspirational leadership. 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. Larry will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on 26 June 2003, reportedly scheduled for 0900 hours commencing at the ANC Administration Building. According to historian Max Boot, more than 200 Eastern Europeans joined Army Special Forces before the Act expired in 1959, including Lauri Trni, who enlisted in 1954 under the name Larry Thorne. 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. Larry also served on the Laws Railroad Museum Board of Directors. They recovered several fragments of bones and a Swedish-made machine pistol that Thorne carried with him. As Shultz tells it, In September 1944, Finland surrendered to the Soviet Union. Trni's fate was finally confirmed, not by a DNA sample, but from his dental records. Larry L. Wise and Joan Wise, David Goodwin and Judson Michcayla Goodwin, 112 Designer Circle, $191,900, 02/22/23 River Bottom Timber LLC, Karen Baumer, 0 North County Road 33, Columbia, $78,000 . Lauri Allan Trni (28 May 1919 - 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Alan Thorne, was a Finnish-American soldier who fought under three flags: as a Finnish Army Second Lieutenant of the Fourth Independent Jger Infantry Battalion against the Soviets in the Winter War and the Soviet-Finnish sub-theater of World War II known as the Continuation He was a recipient of the Mannerheim Cross, Finland's highest award for gallantry in the field. They became friends. Thorne didn't. For his bravery in defense of Finland Captain Lauri Allan Trni, *1919 1965 (also known as Larry Alan Thorne) earned every Finnish medal of valor including the Mannerheim Cross. - Follow me, Thorne shouted and started running towards his estimated landing site. Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. In 1957 he was granted US citizenship and commissioned a 2d Lieutenant in the Signal Corps. In order to control and lead irregular fighters, they had to understand people, languages, and foreign cultures. As an adult in Finland, he joined the Finnish army where he attained the rank of Captain. Mike, I just keep a list. However, in 1999 a Joint Task Force-Full Accounting team along with Finnish personnel located his crash site. In twelve years of service, he attained the rank of Major. Searches of the rugged terrain found nothing. He served in the United States Army, 5th Special Forces. A Soldier of 3 armies knows the game 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. The Soviets wanted to get their hands on Thorne and forced the Finnish government to arrest him as a wartime German collaborator. The day before the interment, a memorial service will be arranged. Captain Thorne ordered the now empty Kingbees to return to Kham Duc. 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. Purple Heart, one Distinguished Flying Cross. Roughly five minutes later, while flying in poor visibility and bad weather, the helicopter crashed. Leonard E. " Larry " Thorne 08/17/1938 - 04/08/2014 Age 75 Of St. Paul, MN Passed away on April 8, 2014. On July 9, 1944, Lauri Torni was awarded the Mannerheim Cross for exceptional bravery while fighting the Soviets. All the wars he came across Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: CH34 Seahorse He is married to his high school sweetheart, has three awesome adult children, and teaches Sunday School. At 1745 hours, both FACs departed Kham Duc. Thorne's photo is maintained in a pre-capture photo group shown to defectors for POW/MIA identifications purposes, yet Thorne was classified killed in action the day after the crash. The book about Larry Thorne has 208 pages and 37 photographs, and is available for 14.95. Major Thorne was one of those individuals that hated Communism so completely, that it didnt matter to him which Flag he fought under, as long as the mutual goal was the defeat of Communism. It is likely that the representation from the U.S. Army will be at the level of a General. 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. Trni entered military service 1938 and was promoted to Corporal before the Winter war began. His legends many of them true sometimes suggest he was a swashbuckling John Wayne type of guy, and some probably get the mercenary idea from that. Join Facebook to connect with Larry Thorne and others you may know. Spec Ops Magazine 2023 All Rights Reserved. However, late in the war, SS formations would have been armed predominantly with the MP40 SMG, the Kar 98k bolt-action rifle, and the MP44 assault rifle. After Finland's final defeat, he served with the Waffen SS and eventually received an Iron Cross. He was assigned to the Military Assistance Command, VietnamStudies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG). Starting in his homeland Finland, doing some time in Nazi-Germany SS Division, and finally got killed in Laos as a US Army Special Forces member. Lauri Trni aka Larry Thorne as a Special Forces officer played the role of Charlie . Lauri Allan Trni! The crazy story of the man who fought for Finland, the Nazis, and US Army Special Forces. "The message to our troops is: we will bring you home. Anyway watch fer snakes down there! The remains were subsequently identified by the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. For almost 35 years, Larry Thorne's whereabouts were unknown until, in 1999, his remains were recovered by a Finnish and Joint Task Force-Full Accounting team who's mission was to search for soldiers who either went MIA or were POWs. dr michelle oakley clinic; laga startmotor solenoid. The third Kingbee was a chase aircraft that would retrieve the crew and passengers of any aircraft that went down. One of the members of the Finnish team was Thorne's own nephew, Juha Rajala. Thorne enlisted in 1954 as a private, although he'd spent six years fighting World War II as an officer in two different military commands. But first, he would take part in a daring rescue mission inside Iran. With a bounty on his head, the Red Army wants him dead Thorne took over operating the small family farm with the goal of instilling in his children the values and rewards . Soon promoted, well deserved, Upon his enlistment, he adopted the name, Larry Thorne. Trni was severely wounded after he skied into a mine during 1942, but that didnt slow him down. works for an aerospace corporation. All personnel were initially transported to Kham Doc Forward Operating Base (FOB) in preparation for their launch into Laos in search of what would eventually be known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Master Sergeant Charles Slats Petry, team leader; Sergeant First Class Willie Card, 1 South Vietnamese Army Lieutenant and 7 Nungs comprised Recon Team (RT) Iowa, the team to be inserted. Lauri Torni (later known as Larry Thorne) was a pure bred badass that fought for 3 different armies and became a captain in each of those, earning a truckload of medals in the process. Larry Thorne (born Lauri Trni) was a war hero who fought under three different flags. The KP saw service all the way through the Israeli War for Independence and the Korean War. The Army would regularly conduct war games that interacted with the civilian population. Thirty of the Finnish Army infantrymen who accompanied Trni on numerous dangerous missions in World War II are still alive, among them Finland's former President Mauno Koivisto. The second H34 dropped through a hole in the clouds to insert a six-man surveillance team. John Voter was in another KINGBEE, acting as Chase. Due to the same miserable bad weather in the area that Larry got caught up in, John was forced to land at an emergency site and fortunately was able to return to Kham Duc the next day. According to POW Network, with his body never recovered, many believed he had survived the crash and continued to live in hiding or taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese. Select this result to view Larry Thorne's phone number, address, and more. Thorne was born Lauri Allan Trni in Finland in 1919. The book is well researched but written sometimes in a slightly clumsy way with lots of repeats of the same facts, there goes one star. Trni's remains will be buried in the same coffin with those of three other victims of the same helicopter crash. In addition to the FACs, the U.S. Air Force provided a flight of B-57s to conduct a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) for this mission should the ground team run into trouble and greater firepower was needed. Legacy Thorne's U.S. memorial is the Larry Thorne Headquarters Building, 10th SFG (A), Fort Carson, Colorado. Source: Compiled in 1989 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. I believe that is what he wanted to be and who he was. He responded once the group said it had made it in, heading back to the base. Rise, from beyond your grave, A joint U.S.-Socialist Republic of Vietnam team found the wreckage in 1997, and the site was excavated in 1999. He is the only veteran of the Waffen SS interred in this hallowed space. Rank/Branch: Major, United States Army, Unit: Headquarters Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Detachment SD 5891, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces With orders to Studies and Observation Group Long Thanh, South Vietnam, Date of Birth: 28 May 1919 (Viipuri, Finland), Home of Record: Norwalk, Connecticut Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. After World War II, Lauri Torni made his way to the United States where he enlisted in the U.S. Army under the Lodge Bill. Son of Finland and a Green Beret He grew from a young 18-year old volunteer at the onset of the Finland-USSR Winter War (1939-40), to a winner of the Mannerheim Cross (the Finnish equivalent of the American Congressional Medal of Honor), to a prisoner . I remember your parents. 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. Birth. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction that were called, depending on the location and time frame, Shining Brass Daniel Boone, Salem House or Prairie Fire missions. Larry A. Thorne is the only American POW/MIA to fight communism under three flags - those of Finland, Germany and America. Larry K Thorne, 74. JTFFA consisted of investigators, linguists, military specialists, DOD civilians, anthropologists and forensic archeologists. Larry Thorne in the U.S. Army. The future President of Finland, Mauno Koivisto, served under his command. There he became an instructor and taught skiing, survival, mountaineering, and guerrilla tactics. Survive than Larry Thorne would have been 97 next month he earned Bronze. 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