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. 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. 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) He took his last breath while holding her . In 1999, Thorne's remains were found by a Finnish and Joint Task. During the early years of World War II, he developed, trained and commanded the Finish ski troops. It was concluded that Thorne's Choctaw had crashed into the side of a mountain while flying nap-of-the-earth. 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. Original Name. Prior to his final mission, Larry Thorne had been recommended for promotion to Major and was being groomed for a staff position as an intelligence officer. 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. But even the characters John Wayne played were usually principled and professional, not hired guns or soldiers for pay. TV Shows. Top 3 Results for Larry Thorne in AL. "I'm fortunate the Army sent me, or I have traveled as a tourist, to over 56 countries.". Lauri Allan Trni (28 May 1919 - 18 October 1965), also known as Larry Thorne, was a Finnish Army Captain who led an infantry Company against the Soviet Union in the Finnish Winter and. There are two soldiers Id like to have had a morning coffee and a chat with, Larry Thorne and Desmond Doss. 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. Son of Finland and a Green Beret 28 May 1919. dr michelle oakley clinic; laga startmotor solenoid. 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. Jeff Ross 8 Likes Sponsored Links Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9eba1495e90241be32358ee99670b5b" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Content on this website is free to use and share, but please provide a link back to Spec Ops Magazine as a source. Death. That is it for now. Suomi KP/-31 is short for Suomi-konepistooli or Finland Submachine Gun. One of the most successful SMG designs of WW2, the Suomi KP was a rugged machined steel open-bolt weapon that fed from either 36-round stick magazines or 71-round drums. Makes going to the doctor so much easier. At the time he went missing CPT Thorne was armed with a Swedish Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun. His remains were repatriated and formally identified in 2003. But then Germany fell, too, and the Finn-turned-Waffen SS officer was arrested by the British, according to War History Online. A Soldier of 3 armies knows the game 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. We also owe them theirs. Today, the Army Special Forces gives the Larry Thorne Award annually to its toughest Green Beret detachment. He escaped, made his way to the United States, and with the help of Wild Bill Donovan became a citizen. There are probably 40 or more entries on it right now and I usually add a couple each week. 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.. May 9, 2011. ", Nation committed to bringing home missing heroes. War still beating in his heart Soon promoted, well deserved, The Soviets wanted to get their hands on Thorne and forced the Finnish government to arrest him as a German wartime collaborator, the account at Arlington Cemetery.net reads. Contents hide 1 Introduction 2 The Nazi era 3 Joining the US Army Special Forces Men who . 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. 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. The Tradition Guild will send representatives to the funeral, and the Finnish Defence Forces will decide on their participation next week. But first, he would take part in a daring rescue mission inside Iran. 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. Mike, I just keep a list. Doctor Dabbs, where do you get your seemingly inexhaustible supply of interesting topics to write about? Needless to say it has been a long struggle for the past few years. The book Born a Soldier: The Times and Life of Larry A Thorne by J. Michael Cleverley inspired the song's lyrics. So why all this talk of a 1980s-era pulpy mens fiction series mostly forgotten by the modern world? Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: CH34 Seahorse 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. He served as an infantry offcier in the U.S. Army and currently Doctor Dabbs, I also love your articles wherever I find them. He was a natural for the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group. 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. Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing). 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). Early on 19 October 1966, the U.S. Army declared that Captain Larry A. Thorne was no longer being listed as Missing in Action, but had been declared Presumed Killed in Action in South Vietnam, not Laos. Friends, family and international officials gathered June 26, 2003, to lay Capt. Today, Thorne is interred at Arlington National Cemetery. I have shared your stories with one of my grandsons as he wants to be an aviator and engineer. Ventura, CA 93003. Since the end of the Vietnam War well over 21,000 reports of American prisoners, missing and otherwise unaccounted for have been received by our government. From 1958 through 1962 Thorne served with the 10thSpecial Forces Group in Bad Tolz, West Germany. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The Department of the Army officially stated, On 18 October 1965, Major Thorne was a passenger aboard a Vietnamese Air Force CH34 helicopter which crashed about 25 miles south of DaNang. Prior to the end of the war, the wreckage of the Kingbee was found and a search and rescue-recovery (SAR) team inserted into the crash site. 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. The Soviets wanted to get their hands on Thorne and forced the Finnish government to arrest him as a wartime German collaborator. 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. The titular central character is the aforementioned Roman legionary. Feature Articles, 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. Slats and his RT were able to infiltrate the AO via another KINGBEE, but, almost immediately following insertion the weather turned to shit. The author, H.A. They planned to take him to Moscow to be tried for war crimes. His remains were never found. Now the three lie together with Thorne in America's most hallowed ground, a unique ending to a unique story. 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. Two of the South Vietnamese lieutenants were identified from DNA samples. 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. I read a lot. 1. 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 day before the interment, a memorial service will be arranged. As Christ hangs dying on the cross some of his blood wipes across Cascas lips. "I had no idea the organization even existed but it appealed to me because of the travel and negotiations with communist officials as the sole U.S. military presence in the country outside the embassy," Hollingsworth said. by Heraklit 03 Jun 2003, 18:30. By the time the U.S. entered Vietnam, Thorne had annihilated enemy forces in waist-deep sub-zero snowdrifts, in mud-covered rainforests and commanded black ops in the Middle East. Limited 100 pcs Larry Thorne 100 years anniversary knife has individual engraved numbering, 1/100 - 100/100. He had simply disappeared. While fighting the Soviets during the Continuation War Torni developed a reputation for audacity and inspirational leadership. 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. He won every medal for bravery that Finland could bestow during the conflict with the Soviet Union. Based on that limited evidence coupled with a series of forensic and DNA tests, it has taken the USG till now to arrive at a conclusive decision that this was in fact Larry's ill-fated aircraft. Lauri Trni enlisted at age 19 in Finlands Army and fought against the Soviet Union. The Lauri Trni Tradition Guild has planned a trip to Vietnam, to the site of their hero's death. The Mannerheim Cross is the Finnish equivalent of the US Medal of Honor. It was a mission in which others had failed, but Thornes unrelenting spirit led to its accomplishment. Knowledge 5. 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. I remember your parents. In spite of the existing conditions, the FAC pilot believed the low flying helicopters could weave around the worst of it and called for the rest of the mission's aircraft to launch. Great story! Unfortunately for Lauri Trni, his homeland eventually fell to the communists in 1944. They became known as some special forces who skied into battle against enemy forces. Trni still enjoys an awesome reputation amongst military men even today, nearly 40 years after his demise. I believe that is what he wanted to be and who he was. The weather proved especially hazardous, forcing them to weaving between thunderheads and sunbeams while avoiding sporadic .50 caliber machinegun fire, all of which missed. Abbott Nathan Scott. Shout, Lauri Trnis name Subject: Re: Major Larry A. Thorne Deceased 18 Oct.'65 They planned to take him to Moscow to be tried for war crimes. The wartime head of the OSS knew of Thorne's commando exploits. According to reports, the SAR personnel found and recovered the remains of the South Vietnamese aircrew, but found no sign of Larry Thorne either dead or alive. Lt. Abney Nicholas Kyle. Call Us isola musebnd montering. Lauri Torni was born on May 25, 1919, in Viipuri, a town on the Karelian isthmus just north of Petrograd. Lauri Allan Trni! Under his strict and demanding leadership, the ski troops fought the Russians deep behind enemy lines for extended periods of time. He led an infantry company in the Finnish Winter and Continuation Wars. Major Larry Thorne was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 26, 2003. Lane Raven Dawn. Major Thornes remains were finally definitively identified in 2003, and he and his teammates were repatriated to the US. Funny, your articles are half the reason Im here. This anniversary . He later received a regular commission and was promoted to captain in 1960. There he entered the U.S. military and became a decorated and much-revered Vietnam War hero in Special Forces. Best pediatrician in town-no doubt the most knowledgeable. His valor earned him the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Mannerheim Medal. 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. Their war with the Soviets waxed and waned through 1944 until it formally ended with the Moscow Armistice. As the Kingbees and Huey gunships flew low over the countryside, all they could see were rolling hills, wild rivers and waterfalls. "He was a complex yet driven man who valorously fought oppression under three flags and didn't acknowledge the meaning of quit," said Swindell. His disappointment at not remaining at the SF assignment was quickly replaced by enthusiasm. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia. 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. Many of the K Rifles used in Vietnam were sanitized without serial numbers. In 1957 he was granted US citizenship and commissioned a 2d Lieutenant in the Signal Corps. He was a recipient of the Mannerheim Cross, Finland's highest award for gallantry in the field. 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. He served in the United States Army, 5th Special Forces. One of the earliest helicopters employed in Southeast Asia, and the primary Marine Corps helicopter used during the early years of the war, was the Sikorsky UH34D Seahorse. The MP40 was the first mass-produced infantry combat weapon to eschew wooden furniture and be designed specifically for mass production. He escaped and was rearrested a time or two before evading into Sweden. Larry Alan Thorne was born Lauri Allan Torni on May 28, 1919. He escaped, made his way to the United States, and with the help of Wild Bill, Donovan became a citizen. 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. He departed his life June 23, 2020, at home in Welcome, Maryland. "Being assigned to JTFFA was an opportunity to serve my country and bring our guys home," said Hollingsworth, who spent 23 years on active duty. The third soldier, a machine-gunner, was recognised from his identification tag. Andy Hollingsworth, an operations specialist with U.S. Africa Command/ European Command Regional Operations, was a young Army captain on a joint task force recovery team that discovered Thorne's remains at a crash site deep in the mountains of Vietnam in the summer of 1999. Major Larry Thorne was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 26, 2003. The second H34 dropped through a hole in the clouds to insert a six-man surveillance team. In Finland, hopes were raised for the national hero's possible burial in his home country. When the crash site was finally located four years ago, the U.S. military made inquiries concerning Trni's final resting place. 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. 2. Repeatedly proving his worth, Thorne advanced in rank and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the U.S. Signal Corps in 1957. As part of Special Forces Detachment A-734 Thorne worked with the Civilian Irregular Defense Groups. After that, only silence was heard in response to repeated attempts to raise anyone aboard the Kingbee. 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. CPT Larry Thorne deployed on his second combat tour in Vietnam in February 1965 with the 5thSpecial Forces Group. The Swedish K was an open-bolt full auto-only design of a fairly conventional layout. The Larry Thorne Headquarter Building for the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado, is named in his honor; several books and movie characters proclaim his feats. The remains of the Finnish war hero Lauri Trni (also known as Larry Thorne) was buried with full military honors in the Arlington cemetary yesterday. Because Lauri Allan Torni was a decent approximation of a real-live modern-day Casca. In June of 1998, the book THE SOLDIER UNDER THREE FLAGS was made available by Pathfinder publishing. Great with the kids, they ask to "go see Dr. Thorne". Born a Soldier is a tour of the mid-20th century's conflicts with the remarkable Larry Thorne. He then joined the American Army. Growing up, I remember my step dad telling me all about Larry Thorne and the war games they played in. As Cowboy and Mustachio flew toward the east, they reported low-level visibility so bad that they had to climb to 8,500 feet in order to clear the top of the clouds. , Finland 's highest Award for gallantry in the field according to History... A morning coffee and a chat with, Larry Thorne Award annually its... Worked with the 10thSpecial Forces Group in Bad Tolz, West Germany Soviets wanted to and... Demanding leadership, the book the soldier under three FLAGS was made available by Pathfinder publishing and a... 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