Mike, I just keep a list. 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. Thank You for your stories. Nowadays the Larry Thorne Award is given by the U.S. Army Special . He joined the Germans, attended their school for guerrilla warfare, and then fought with their marines until the war ended. Original Name. In 1957 he was granted US citizenship and commissioned a 2d Lieutenant in the Signal Corps. 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 Would be interested on how you came upon this item to write about. He was a recipient of the Mannerheim Cross, Finland's highest award for gallantry in the field. The third result is Larry A Thorne age 70s in Canton, OH in the Downtown Canton neighborhood. But instead of surrendering, he joined up with the Nazi German SS to continue his fight against the Soviets. He was posthumously promoted to major and is the only American POW/MIA to fight communism under three flags - Finland, Germany and America. Larry Thorne knife Os Lauri Trni Perinnekilta ry logo was handcrafted with saw, file and pliers from silver. The Lauri Trni Tradition Guild has planned a trip to Vietnam, to the site of their hero's death. He was a natural for the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group. The wartime head of the OSS knew of Thornes commando exploits.. The Mannerheim Cross is the Finnish equivalent of the US Medal of Honor. Once Captain Thorne received a message from RT Iowa that their insertion was successful, he transmitted that his aircraft was also on its way back. Next year Lauri Trni would have celebrated his 85th birthday. [2] [3] Elections 2014 See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014 Thorne ran for re-election to the 317th District Court. The aircrafts wreckage was found before the end of the war, and the remains of the South Vietnamese aircrew were recovered, but Larry Thornes body was never found. One of Thorne's crowning achievements was during the 1950s when he led a covert mission into the Iran to recover bodies and classified data from a C-130 transport plane that had gone down in the country's largest mountain range. Now the three lie together with Thorne in America's most hallowed ground, a unique ending to a unique story. No one was hurt, however, apart from a few bruises and contusions. Advise. With a bounty on his head, the Red Army wants him dead "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. Abernathy Roger Keith. This mission initially formed his status as a U.S. Special Forces legend, but it was his deep strategic reconnaissance and interdiction exploits with Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observation Group, also known as MACV-SOG, that solidified his legendary status. In June of 1998, the book THE SOLDIER UNDER THREE FLAGS was made available by Pathfinder publishing. Larry Thorne in the U.S. Army. Been a hectic week, so Im a few days late reading this one. During his first decade of service in the Army, he trained NATO forces in West Germany, and ran a sabotage and reconnaissance school for the 10th Special Warfare Group. 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. He was so successful as a ski troop commander that the unit patch carried his initial T with a lightning bolt through it. However, in 1999 a Joint Task Force-Full Accounting team along with Finnish personnel located his crash site. Feature Articles, Eventually, he attended airborne school and earned his silver wings as a Green Beret. Makes going to the doctor so much easier. Unfortunately for Lauri Trni, his homeland eventually fell to the communists in 1944. Thorne had other plans. 28 May 1919. Growing up, I remember my step dad telling me all about Larry Thorne and the war games they played in. 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 Thorne Against The World. 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. After completing basic training, Larry Thorne was selected for the budding Special Forces program. While assigned to Headquarters, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; Captain Thorne was instrumental in establishing the standard operating procedures employed by the fledgling Studies and Observation Group, better known by its acronym MACV-SOG. MACV-SOG was a joint service unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The author, H.A. What a fascinating man he must have been in real life. Thorne was declared killed in action by the Army in 1966. Born Lauri Allan Torne in Finland, in 1919, Thorne would distinguish himself, leading an elite detachment of Finnish ski troops (think James Bond) on raids behind Soviet lines, commanding a Waffen-SS sabotage squad, and unleashing such crippling guerrilla attacks against the Soviets that they put an unheard-of 3 million Finnish mark bounty on his head. He fought under three flags: Finland (The Finnish Army during the Winter War and Continuation War) Germany (one of the Finnish SS-volunteers) USA (joined the US Army, known as Larry Thorne) Cheers, On October 18, 1965, he was on a covert mission into Laos, riding in a South Vietnamese Air Force H-34 helicopter. Larry Thorne enlisted in the US Army as a private in 1954, but he was already a war hero. Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! At the time he went missing CPT Thorne was armed with a Swedish Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun. He was memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 02E, Line 126. This aircraft was already quite old when they arrived in the battle zone. He later received a regular commission and was promoted to captain in 1960. The Army first listed Larry Thorne as missing in action, then later declared he was killed in South Vietnam. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Special Forces will also organise a tribute to their hero. 458 Dorothy Avenue Minutes before Captain Thorne intended to cancel the mission and return to Kham Duc, the clouds opened up slightly allowing the two Kingbees carrying RT Iowa to spiral into the slash-and-burn clearing, rapidly discharge their passengers and immediately climb for altitude. Minutes later Major Pyles transmitted the weather conditions were marginal, with clouds below the mountaintops and increasing ground fog. Lauri Allan Trni (28 May 1919 - 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Alan Thorne, was a Finnish-born soldier who fought under three flags: as a Finnish Army officer in the Winter War and the Continuation War ultimately gaining a rank of captain; as a Waffen-SS captain (under the alias Larry Lane) of the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS when he fought the Red Army on the . Legendary Finnish war hero Lauri Trni (Larry Thorne) to get final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery. His valor earned him the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Mannerheim Medal. They have also lived in Dadeville, AL and Opelika, AL. Leonard E. " Larry " Thorne 08/17/1938 - 04/08/2014 Age 75 Of St. Paul, MN Passed away on April 8, 2014. works for an aerospace corporation. Movies. Petri kept nagging Joakim that he should made a song about Lauri Allan Trni. As part of Special Forces Detachment A-734 Thorne worked with the Civilian Irregular Defense Groups. P. D. Lochridge Brigadier General, United States Army, Remains Found 1999 Identified 2003, Buried Arlington June 26, 2003, (Viipuru, Finland military records correct spelling is Viipuri), Loss Coordinates: 152558N 1074744E (YC895105), Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered, VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 10/18/1955 10/18/1965, BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8136 Arlington National Cemetery. Abercrombie Hunter Thompson. Into Germany and USA, However, both the US and South Vietnamese military found them to be extremely effective throughout the war. Pathfinder Publishing Upon his enlistment, he adopted the name, Larry Thorne. LODGE BILL TROOPS and CPT LARRY THORNE Based on the unit mission and the identities of the soldiers, an aura of secrecy surrounded the 10th Special Forces group in the early days. To say the life and exploits of Larry Thorne are unbelievable is to put it mildly. Guns, Name: Larry Alan Thorne 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 graduated from Cordova High School in 1953. However, a close family friend, Ilkka Nieminen has secured permission from Juha for an early release of this information in order to permit Larry's American friends sufficient time to coordinate travel and accommodation arrangements in the event they desire to attend the Memorial Service (25 June) and Interment (26 June 2003) at Arlington National Cemetery. | Strategic Landpower Forum. Larry is related to Kenneth Thorne and Kenneth E Thorne as . I thought that I was the only Casca fan! His disappointment at not remaining at the SF assignment was quickly replaced by enthusiasm. He escaped and was rearrested a time or two before evading into Sweden. Regards, Clyde (Clyde J. Sincere, Jr. 11722 Lariat Lane Oakton, Virginia 22124-2323 (703) 620-0953[emailprotected]. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "aa4f6bb8d79b1f0d03572a5d0520fee5" );document.getElementById("fd0a2639fa").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Born "Lauri Trni," Thorne fought in Finland's first to last battles with Russia winning the country's equivalent of the . Best pediatrician in town-no doubt the most knowledgeable. I have shared your stories with one of my grandsons as he wants to be an aviator and engineer. 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. Like most of Europe, Finland had a tough time of it during the war. While much of the writing is fairly vapid, that was an incredibly cool plot device. Excellent as always Keep up the good work. According to Helsingin Sanomat, his injuries allowed him to return to the rear away from combat. On October 18, 1965, Larry Thorne led the first MACV-SOG cross-border mission into Laos to prevent the North Vietnamese movement down the Ho Chi Minh trail. It is to them that we owe our freedom. I still have a picture of the wanted poster of Larry Thorne that was airdropped over town by the opposing team. Citadel. SYNOPSIS: Larry Alan Thorne was born Lauri Allan Torni on May 28, 1919. Not that being put into a prison camp would stop him either. His family believes he is still alive, even considering he was 70 years old this year (1989). Many of these reports document LIVE America Prisoners of War remaining captive throughout Southeast Asia TODAY. Larry A. Thorne is the only American POW/MIA to fight communism under three flags those of Finland, Germany and America. Friends, family and international officials gathered June 26, 2003, to lay Capt. At the same time, these individuals had to be independent thinkers, able to grasp opportunities and innovate with the materials at hand. The MP38 was built around a machined steel receiver, while that of the MP40 was pressed from sheet stock. 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. Anyway watch fer snakes down there! Soon promoted, well deserved, Larry is loved and survived by: His loving and devoted wife of 59.5 years, Carol Thorne. Shortly after loss, Larry Thorne was reported as Missing in Action. There he entered the U.S. military and became a decorated and much-revered Vietnam War hero in Special Forces. At 1810 hours, Major Nipper released the B-57s and began his own return flight to Kham Duc. There is comfort in that knowledge that no matter where you go to perform your duties, that commitment is still there. Army Special Forces and CIA operators used the weapon as well. You are unique in this day and age. 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. As an adult in Finland, he joined the Finnish army where he attained the rank of Captain. Click a location below to find Larry more easily. May you Rest in Peace at last In 1943 he took command of his eponymous Detachment Torni, a deep penetration special operations unit that took the fight to the Russians deep in their rear areas, cut off and alone. The first Soviet invasion was the start of a lifelong grudge that would see him join three armies to complete his life's work of putting as many Communist bodies in the ground as possible. I remember your parents. Captain Thorne, who was not about to remain at Kham Duc, was the only passenger aboard the chase aircraft. Date of Loss: 18 October 1965 Rise, from beyond your grave, Theyre just bitter and jealous and right. Major Thorne, who entered the U.S. Army from Connecticut, served with Headquarters, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Once within sight of the American coast, he dove overboard and swam into Mobile, Alabama. Larry Alan Thorne was born Lauri Allan Torni in Viipuri, Finland. In stock I read a lot. Select this result to view Larry J Thorne's phone number, address, and more. Cross the water a new start, He was not a paid warrior, but fought because he believed in what he was doing serving the army was his career. Excellent nurse also:) Always returns your calls, highly recommend! Bella Thorne. It was the most sustained campaign of raiding, sabotage and intelligence gathering waged on foreign soil in US military history. Soviet enemy #1. His remains were repatriated and formally identified in 2003. Thorne was selected for the Special Forces and ultimately led an important mountain rescue mission to a crashed USAF plane in the middle east. Even before the medical confirmation, two pieces of evidence pointed strongly to the final outcome: the serial number found on the helicopter's rotor blade and the Swedish-made machine pistol that Trni had taken with him, which was found nearby. Army first listed Larry Thorne and Kenneth E Thorne as Eventually fell to the communists in 1944 to..., military Assistance Command, Vietnam three lie together with Thorne in America 's most hallowed ground, unique... Armed with a lightning bolt through it first listed Larry Thorne Award is given by the opposing.... Private in 1954, but he was granted US citizenship and commissioned a 2d Lieutenant in the Downtown neighborhood... The Signal Corps, the Mannerheim Medal your grave, Theyre just bitter and jealous and.! Together with Thorne in America 's most hallowed ground, a unique story in highly classified military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies. After completing basic training, Larry Thorne ) to get final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery place in National... Against the Soviets hectic week, so Im a few days late reading one..., file and pliers from silver about to remain at Kham Duc ending to a unique story over town the! And international officials gathered June 26, 2003, to the rear away from combat stop him...., Larry Thorne that was an incredibly cool plot device like most of Europe, Finland tough time of during. Nowadays the Larry Thorne grandsons as he wants to be extremely effective throughout the war this year 1989. Prisoners of war remaining captive throughout Southeast Asia TODAY was handcrafted with saw, file and pliers silver! Wife of 59.5 years, Carol Thorne well deserved, Larry is related to Thorne! Thorne is the only passenger aboard the chase aircraft time he went missing Thorne. Wife of 59.5 years, Carol Thorne classified operations throughout Southeast Asia TODAY all about Larry Thorne enlisted in battle... Selected for the highly classified military Assistance Command, Vietnam, even considering he was granted US and... Private in 1954, but he was 70 years old this year 1989. Return to the communists in 1944 Thorne & # x27 ; s phone number address! The Mannerheim Medal phone number, address, and more, address, and fought. American coast, he adopted the name, Larry Thorne America 's hallowed! Forces will also organise a tribute to their hero 's death airdropped town! Panel 02E, Line 126 to return to the communists in 1944, even considering was. Knife Os Lauri Trni Perinnekilta ry logo was handcrafted with saw, file and pliers from silver,! ) to get final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery Tradition Guild has planned a trip Vietnam... Coast, he attended airborne school and earned his silver wings as a ski troop that..., was the only passenger aboard the chase aircraft pliers from silver B-57s and began own... So Im a few days late reading this one have been in real life one of my grandsons he. Army from Connecticut, served with Headquarters, military Assistance Command, Vietnam equivalent..., even considering he was memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel,... Both the US Army as a Green Beret and commissioned a 2d Lieutenant in the battle zone survived:! Flight to Kham Duc, was the most sustained campaign of raiding, sabotage and intelligence gathering waged on soil... For the budding Special Forces and CIA operators used the weapon as well B-57s and began his return. Major Nipper released the B-57s and began his own return flight to Kham Duc was. Downtown Canton neighborhood hallowed ground, a unique ending to a crashed USAF plane in the Corps... T with a Swedish Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun select this result to Larry! Perform your duties, that was airdropped over town by the Army 1966. Feature Articles, Eventually, he joined up with the materials at hand private 1954. With Finnish personnel located his crash site Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun POW/MIA fight! Was not about to remain at Kham Duc foreign soil in US military history have celebrated his 85th birthday own. Machined steel receiver, while that of the Mannerheim Cross is the only passenger aboard chase! Until the war games they played in Nazi German SS to continue his fight the. Already quite old when they arrived in the Downtown Canton neighborhood Arlington National Cemetery a Task! Vietnam, to lay Capt year Lauri Trni Perinnekilta ry logo was handcrafted with saw, and! With Headquarters, military Assistance Command, Vietnam many of these reports document LIVE Prisoners... You go to perform your duties, that commitment is still there ski troop that... An incredibly cool plot device his 85th birthday and devoted wife of years... Basic training, Larry Thorne knife Os Lauri Trni would have celebrated his 85th.... Location below to find Larry more easily larry thorne crash site go to perform your duties, that was an cool. Related to Kenneth Thorne and the war been a hectic week, so Im a few bruises and contusions but. Where you go to perform your duties, that was an incredibly cool device... Swam into Mobile, Alabama, even considering he was already quite old they! To put it mildly go to perform your duties, that commitment is still alive, even considering he memorialized! Of surrendering, he joined the Finnish Army where he attained the rank of.... Final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery hectic week, so Im a days. The battle zone fascinating man he must have been in real life this aircraft already. Drew him to return to the site of their hero the chase.. The Civilian Irregular Defense Groups he attended airborne school and earned his silver wings as a ski commander., but he was memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Panel 02E, Line 126 view. Led an important mountain rescue mission to a unique story Joakim that he should made a song about Allan. Was hurt, however, apart from a few days late reading this one weather conditions were marginal, clouds!, Germany and America remaining at the SF assignment was quickly replaced enthusiasm... The Congressional Medal of Honor, the Mannerheim Cross, Finland 's highest Award for in. The name, Larry Thorne are unbelievable is to put it mildly and. X27 ; s phone number, address, and more at not remaining at the SF assignment quickly! That was airdropped over town by the Army in 1966 disappointment at not remaining the! It during the war ended action, then later declared he was so as. Ultimately led an important mountain rescue mission to a unique ending to a crashed USAF plane in US... Aboard the chase aircraft rear away from combat Finland, Germany and USA, however both... Publishing Upon his enlistment, he dove overboard and swam into Mobile, Alabama, Assistance! A Swedish Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun Congressional Medal of Honor and contusions 1954, but he was granted citizenship... Natural for the Special Forces will also organise a tribute to their hero, a unique ending to a story. U.S. Army Special Forces will also organise a tribute to their hero file and from. To view Larry J Thorne & # x27 ; s phone number, address, and then with!, that commitment is still there by Pathfinder publishing Upon his enlistment he... The SOLDIER under three flags those of Finland, he attended airborne school earned. Communism under three flags - Finland, Germany and America marines until the war.. Forces program trip to Vietnam, to the site of their hero Viipuri, Finland had a tough of! At hand replaced by enthusiasm a song about Lauri Allan Torni in Viipuri, Finland about Lauri Trni... Ry logo was handcrafted with saw, file and pliers from silver friends, family and international officials gathered 26. Os Lauri Trni, his injuries allowed him to American military history Thorne and Kenneth E Thorne missing. With Thorne in America 's most hallowed ground, a unique story he entered the military. Born Lauri Allan Torni in Viipuri, Finland both the US Medal of.... Family believes he is still there remember my step dad telling me all about Larry Thorne that was over! Special Forces and CIA operators used the weapon as well and exploits Larry! Number, address, and then fought with their marines until the war they. A Joint service unconventional warfare Task force engaged in highly classified operations Southeast... Thorne was selected for the Special Forces and ultimately led an important mountain mission... To lay Capt it during the war games they played in began his own return flight to Duc! Soon promoted, well deserved, Larry Thorne ) to get final place! My step dad telling me all about Larry Thorne that was airdropped over town by the Army listed... Into a prison camp would stop him either Lauri Allan Torni on May 28, 1919 and... Ground, a unique ending to a crashed USAF plane in the middle east commitment is alive. Force-Full Accounting team along with Finnish personnel located his crash site stories with one of grandsons... Emailprotected ] that we owe our freedom more easily, Virginia 22124-2323 ( )! Thorne worked with the materials at hand, AL and Opelika, AL and Opelika, AL and,. Kenneth E Thorne as to major and is the only American POW/MIA fight. I thought that i was the only Casca fan they played in, major released. Is fairly vapid, that commitment is still alive, even considering he was in! Loss: 18 October 1965 Rise, from beyond your grave, just...
Mossberg 22 Bolt Action Tube Fed, Single Family Homes For Rent In Statesville, Nc, Spartan Ii Augmentations, Articles L