Larry Thorne
| Lauri Allan Törni Larry Thorne |
|
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Lasse |
| Born |
28 May 1919 Viipuri, Finland |
| Died | 18 October 1965 (aged 46) Phước Sơn District, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam |
| Buried at | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 Finland Nazi Germany.svg){kind=small} United States
|
| Service/branch |
Finnish Army Waffen SS United States Army |
| Years of service | 1938–1945 1954–1965 |
| Rank | Captain (Finland) Hauptsturmführer (Nazi Germany) Major (USA) |
| Unit |
Germany: Sonderkommando Nord |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Awards |
Mannerheim Cross Iron Cross 2nd Class Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Purple Heart (2) |
Germany: Sonderkommando Nord
United States:
Lauri Allan Törni (28 May 1919 – 18 October 1965), later known as Larry Thorne, was a Finnish Army captain who led an infantry company against the Soviet Union in the Finnish Winter and Continuation Wars and moved to the United States after World War II. He fought under three flags: Finnish, German (when he again fought the Soviets in World War II), and American (where he was known as Larry Thorne) when he served in U.S. Army Special Forces in the Vietnam War. Törni was killed in action during the Vietnam War.
Christened Lauri Allan Törni, he was born in Viipuri, Viipuri Province, Finland, to ship captain Jalmari (Ilmari) Törni, and his wife, Rosa (née Kosonen). He had two sisters: Salme Kyllikki (b. 1920) and Kaija Iris (b. 1922). An athletic youth, Törni was an early friend of future Olympic Boxing Gold Medalist Sten Suvio. After attending business school and serving with the Civil Guard, Törni entered military service in 1938, joining the 4th Independent Jaeger Infantry Battalion stationed at Kiviniemi; as the Winter War began in November 1939, his enlistment was extended and his unit confronted invading Soviet troops at Rautu.
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Wikipedia