. They recovered several fragments of bones and a Swedish-made machine pistol that Thorne carried with him. He escaped and was rearrested a time or two before evading into Sweden. Torni trained with the Waffen SS starting in 1941 and was eventually promoted to Untersturmfuhrer. 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. Dr. His remains were never found. Trni, by now better known to his colleagues as Larry Thorne, disappeared after the helicopter he was in went down close to the Laos border in 1965. Larry was retired from the United. He was promoted 2/LT (9 May 1940). 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. Trni still enjoys an awesome reputation amongst military men even today, nearly 40 years after his demise. Been a hectic week, so Im a few days late reading this one. 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. Feature Articles, Larry Alan Thorne was born Lauri Allan Torni in Viipuri, Finland. As a young adult, he enlisted in the Finish Army where he obtained the rank of Captain. He was a complex yet driven man who valorously fought oppression under three flags and didnt acknowledge the meaning of quit, US Army Special Forces Col. Sean Swindell said during a ceremony in 2010. All Local Sales are FREE! He was then informed that SF was over their 115 officer limit and Quartermaster was short by 100. Trni's remains will be buried in the same coffin with those of three other victims of the same helicopter crash. This aircraft was already quite old when they arrived in the battle zone. After Finland's final defeat, he served with the Waffen SS and eventually received an Iron Cross. On his second tour in Vietnam in 1965, assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group, Thorne was involved in the secret war in Laos. 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. I recall reading about the Major in the 80s before his remains were recovered, and also again in the very late 90s/early 2000 when his remains were recovered. 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 Guns, 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 . Army Special Forces and CIA operators used the weapon as well. 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. Answer (1 of 2): Larry Thorne was a US Special Forces Major that died in a helicopter crash 25 miles south of Da Nang in Vietnam. Excavation at the crash site in Vietnam was launched four years ago. The third soldier, a machine-gunner, was recognised from his identification tag. . Major Larry Thorne was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on June 26, 2003. Repeatedly proving his worth, Thorne advanced in rank and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the U.S. Signal Corps in 1957. Slats and his RT were able to infiltrate the AO via another KINGBEE, but, almost immediately following insertion the weather turned to shit. If anything, his American commanding officers, peacetime and wartime, considered him one of the most professional soldiers they had ever met. He served as an infantry offcier in the U.S. Army and currently 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. Mike, I just keep a list. On July 9, 1944, Lauri Torni was awarded the Mannerheim Cross for exceptional bravery while fighting the Soviets. Thorne was declared killed in action by the Army in 1966. If I could have carte blanc to craft any work of fiction it would be to retire behind my MacBook and resurrect the tale of Casca in a modern context. Photographic evidence of Tornis service with the Waffen SS is scant. Throughout the late 1950's, the budding U.S. Army Special Forces had been building a controversial force to conduct unconventional warefare. We must never forget men like Thorne. Following Finland's second defeat to the Russians, Torni was imprisoned by the communists as a war criminal. Menu. Even before his death, Thorne's name was legendary in US Special Forces. Trni was severely wounded after he skied into a mine during 1942, but that didnt slow him down. Trni had a dental crown on his tooth number 18. That's because his real name was Lauri Trni, and he had been fighting the Soviets for much of his adult life. 3. 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. In February 1965, then Captain Larry Thorne returned to Long Thanh, South Vietnam for his second tour of duty. Though three earlier attempts to secure the materials had failed, Thornes team was successful, and he was awarded that mission. Also on board were three South Vietnamese crew members: Lieutenant Bao Tung Nguyen, First Lieutenant The Long Phan and Sergeant Vam Lanh Bui. Great article! Roughly five minutes later, while flying in poor visibility and bad weather, the helicopter crashed. The flight arrived over the target area just before sundown. Because Lauri Allan Torni was a decent approximation of a real-live modern-day Casca. 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. While fighting the Soviets during the Continuation War Torni developed a reputation for audacity and inspirational leadership. Doctor Dabbs, I also love your articles wherever I find them. Larry is loved and survived by: His loving and devoted wife of 59.5 years, Carol Thorne. His disappointment at not remaining at the SF assignment was quickly replaced by enthusiasm. Lauri Trni aka Larry Thorne as a Special Forces officer played the role of Charlie . Although it ends a bit abruptly with his unfortunate and untimely death from a helicopter crash, his h. Barry Sadler was a Vietnam-era US Special Forces veteran best known for his hit song, The Ballad of the Green Berets. This book series was titled, Casca, The Eternal Mercenary.. Buzz, He then received comprehensive instruction in his specialty area. Join Facebook to connect with Larry Thorne and others you may know. So they assigned Hollingsworth to the Central Identification Lab, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. Into Germany and USA, Many of the K Rifles used in Vietnam were sanitized without serial numbers. 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. Prior to sentencing, the court heard from two previous victims of Thorne's predatory behavior. Related Tags: No one was hurt, however, apart from a few bruises and contusions. Major Larry Alan Thorne is the only former member of the Waffen SS to be found there. Somehow I cant see gunsamerica getting weary of your articles Dr. Dabb. Lauri Alan Trni. Finland. Cross of Mannerheim, addicted to the wargame The MP38 was built around a machined steel receiver, while that of the MP40 was pressed from sheet stock. "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. After Finland fell to the communists, Captain Torni joined the German SS in order to continue fighting the communists. "The message to our troops is: we will bring you home. Master Jeweler at Jensen Jewelers, Billings, Montana November 17, 2021 - Present Jeweler and Diamond setter for 41 years May 2, 2020 to present College Studied at Valley City State University High school No schools to show Photos See all photos Others Named Larry Thorne Lawrence Thorne Lorenzo Thorne Lawrence Franklin Thorne Lorenzo Thorne 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. Two of the South Vietnamese lieutenants were identified from DNA samples. He escaped, made his way to the United States, and with the help of Wild Bill, Donovan became a citizen. 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. Email Us pianolektioner liding Leonard E. " Larry " Thorne 08/17/1938 - 04/08/2014 Age 75 Of St. Paul, MN Passed away on April 8, 2014. 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 Trni's fate was finally confirmed, not by a DNA sample, but from his dental records. The crazy story of the man who fought for Finland, the Nazis, and US Army Special Forces. In order to control and lead irregular fighters, they had to understand people, languages, and foreign cultures. His family believes he is still alive, even considering he was 70 years old this year (1989). Thorne wanted to be the best, had the talent and sisu to be the best, and in fact was the best. 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