Lauri Törni
Encyclopedia
Lauri Allan Törni was a Finnish Army
captain who led an infantry company in the Finnish Winter
and Continuation War
s and moved to the United States after World War II. He is known as the soldier who fought under three flags: Finnish, German (when he 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
.
on February 1940 during the Winter War.
In the fall of 1939, Lauri Törni was completing his enlistment in the Finnish Army when the Soviet Union attacked Finland. Törni's conscription in the army was extended as part of the country's general mobilization, and was originally assigned to supply troops. During the battles at Lake Ladoga
he was transferred to the front line. He took part in the annihilation of the encircled Russian divisions in Lemetti. His heroic feats during these engagements were quickly noticed by his commanders. Toward the end of the war he was assigned to officer training where he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. After the Winter War, in 1941 Törni was sent to Germany
to train with Waffen-SS
, but soon returned to Finland.
Most of Törni's reputation was based on his successful feats in the Continuation War
(1941–44) between the Soviet Union
and Finland. In 1943 a famous unit informally named Detachment Törni was created under his command. This was an infantry unit that penetrated deep behind enemy lines and soon enjoyed a reputation on both sides of the front for its combat effectiveness. One of Törni's men was future President of Finland
, Mauno Koivisto
. The two served together during the Battle of Ilomantsi
, which was the final Finnish-Soviet engagement of the Continuation War
during July - August 1944. Koivisto participated in the battle as a soldier assigned to a reconnaissance company under the command of Captain Törni.
Törni's unit inflicted such heavy casualties on Russian units that the Soviet Army placed a bounty on his head (3 million Finnish Marks, equivalent to 650,000 USD). He was reputedly the only Finnish officer to have had a bounty. He was decorated with the Mannerheim Cross
, the equivalent of the American Medal of Honor
, on 9 July 1944.
Törni was dissatisfied with the terms of the Finnish peace treaty with the Soviets
, which required Finland to take up arms against Germany in the Lapland War
. The Finnish government believed he had fought enough and discharged him. In 1945, he was recruited by a pro-German resistance movement in Finland and left for saboteur
training in Germany, and to organize resistance in case Finland were occupied by the Soviet Union. He surrendered to British troops in the last stages of World War II and eventually returned to Finland
after escaping a British POW camp. Törni was arrested by ValPo (State Police) upon his return and sentenced to 6 years in prison for treason
for having joined the German army. Törni was pardoned by President Paasikivi
in December 1948.
, crossing the border from Tornio
to Haparanda
(Haaparanta), where many inhabitants are of ethnic Finnish origin. From Haparanda Törni travelled by railroad to Stockholm
where he found protection and shelter with the Baroness Von Essen, who harbored many fugitive Finnish officers following the war. Pitkänen was arrested and repatriated to Finland, but Törni fell in love with a Swedish Finn, Marja Kops, and was soon engaged to be married. Hoping to establish a career before the marriage, Törni travelled disguised under an alias as a Swedish seaman aboard SS Bolivia, on a destination to Caracas
, Venezuela
. In Caracas' harbour, Törni met one of his Winter War commanders, Finnish colonel Matti Aarnio
, who was in exile and settled in Venezuela after the war. In 1950 Caracas, Törni was hired to a Swedish cargo ship MS Skagen, with a destination to the United States
. While in the Gulf of Mexico
, near Mobile
, Alabama
, Törni jumped overboard and swam to shore. Törni travelled to New York City
where he was helped by the Finnish-American community living in Brooklyn's "Finntown," where he worked as a carpenter and cleaner. In 1953, Törni was granted a residence permit through an Act of Congress that was shepherded by the law firm of "Wild Bill" Donovan, the former head of the OSS, America's wartime covert military organization.
Törni joined the U.S. Army
in 1954 under the provisions of the Lodge-Philbin Act
and adopted the name Larry Thorne. While in the US Army, he was befriended by a group of Finnish-American officers who came to be known as "Marttinen's Men." Similar to Thorne, this group of decorated Finnish wartime officers had emigrated to the United States and were inducted into the US Army under the Lodge Act. Several were brought into Special Forces at its inception.
With their support, Private Thorne was soon on his way into Special Forces. While in Special Forces he taught skiing
, survival, mountaineering, and guerrilla tactics
. In turn he attended Airborne School, and quickly advanced in rank, attaining a reserve commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1957. He later received a regular commission and a promotion to Captain in 1960. From 1958 to 1962 he served in 10th Special Forces Group in West Germany
. While there he was second in command of a search and rescue mission in the Zagros mountains
of Iran
, gaining him a notable reputation.
In November 1963 he joined the Special Forces unit A-734 in Vietnam
and fought in the Mekong Delta
, where he was twice decorated.
In 1965, he transferred to MACVSOG training unit in Vietnam as a military advisor. On 18 October 1965, he left for a clandestine mission where his helicopter crashed in a mountainous area of Vietnam
, 25 miles (40 km) away from Da Nang
. When a rescue team arrived, they were unable to locate the crash site. The coordinates are 48 PYB 9455 8960.
Shortly after his disappearance Thorne was promoted to the rank of Major.
Larry Thorne's remains were found in 1999 and formally identified in 2003. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
, section 60, tombstone 8136, on 26 June 2003.
, Colorado
. In Finland, the survivors, friends and families of Detachment Törni formed the Lauri Törni Tradition Guild.
In the book The Green Berets
by Robin Moore
, the "Sven Kornie" main character in the first chapter was based on Larry Thorne. The book was later made into a movie
by the same name starring John Wayne
.
In the 2004 TV programme Suuret Suomalaiset
("Great Finns"), Larry Thorne was voted the 52nd greatest Finn of all time.
Finnish Army
The Finnish Army is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces.Today's Army is divided into six branches: the infantry , field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, engineers, signals, and materiel troops.-History of the Finnish Army:Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of...
captain who led an infantry company in the Finnish Winter
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
and Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
s and moved to the United States after World War II. He is known as the soldier who fought under three flags: Finnish, German (when he fought the Soviets in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) and American (where he was known as Larry Thorne) when he served in U.S. Army Special Forces in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Early life
Larry Thorne, christened "Lauri Allan Törni" at birth, was born in Viipuri, Finland, to a ship captain. He entered military service in 1938, attending Reserve Officer school in HaminaHamina
Hamina is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Kymenlaakso region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is...
on February 1940 during the Winter War.
World War II
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
he was transferred to the front line. He took part in the annihilation of the encircled Russian divisions in Lemetti. His heroic feats during these engagements were quickly noticed by his commanders. Toward the end of the war he was assigned to officer training where he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. After the Winter War, in 1941 Törni was sent to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to train with Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
, but soon returned to Finland.
Most of Törni's reputation was based on his successful feats in the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
(1941–44) between the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Finland. In 1943 a famous unit informally named Detachment Törni was created under his command. This was an infantry unit that penetrated deep behind enemy lines and soon enjoyed a reputation on both sides of the front for its combat effectiveness. One of Törni's men was future President of Finland
President of Finland
The President of the Republic of Finland is the nation's head of state. Under the Finnish constitution, executive power is vested in the President and the government, with the President possessing extensive powers. The President is elected directly by the people of Finland for a term of six years....
, Mauno Koivisto
Mauno Koivisto
Mauno Henrik Koivisto is a Finnish politician who served as the ninth President of Finland from 1982 to 1994. He also served as Prime Minister 1968–1970 and 1979–1982...
. The two served together during the Battle of Ilomantsi
Battle of Ilomantsi
The Battle of Ilomantsi was a part of the Continuation War . It was fought from July 26 to August 13, 1944, between Finland and the Soviet Union in area roughly 40 kilometers wide and 30 kilometers deep, near the Finnish-Soviet border, close to a small Finnish town of Ilomantsi, in North Karelia...
, which was the final Finnish-Soviet engagement of the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
during July - August 1944. Koivisto participated in the battle as a soldier assigned to a reconnaissance company under the command of Captain Törni.
Törni's unit inflicted such heavy casualties on Russian units that the Soviet Army placed a bounty on his head (3 million Finnish Marks, equivalent to 650,000 USD). He was reputedly the only Finnish officer to have had a bounty. He was decorated with the Mannerheim Cross
Mannerheim Cross
The Mannerheim Cross of Liberty is the highest Finnish military decoration. The medal was introduced after the Winter War and named after Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim...
, the equivalent of the American Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, on 9 July 1944.
Törni was dissatisfied with the terms of the Finnish peace treaty with the Soviets
Moscow Armistice
The Moscow Armistice was signed between Finland on one side and the Soviet Union and United Kingdom on the other side on September 19, 1944, ending the Continuation War...
, which required Finland to take up arms against Germany in the Lapland War
Lapland War
The Lapland War were the hostilities between Finland and Nazi Germany between September 1944 and April 1945, fought in Finland's northernmost Lapland Province. While the Finns saw this as a separate conflict much like the Continuation War, German forces considered their actions to be part of the...
. The Finnish government believed he had fought enough and discharged him. In 1945, he was recruited by a pro-German resistance movement in Finland and left for saboteur
Saboteur
A saboteur is someone who commits sabotage.It may also refer to:*Morituri , a 1965 film also known as The Saboteur*Saboteur , a card game by Frederic Moyersoen, published in 2004...
training in Germany, and to organize resistance in case Finland were occupied by the Soviet Union. He surrendered to British troops in the last stages of World War II and eventually returned to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
after escaping a British POW camp. Törni was arrested by ValPo (State Police) upon his return and sentenced to 6 years in prison for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
for having joined the German army. Törni was pardoned by President Paasikivi
Juho Kusti Paasikivi
Juho Kusti Paasikivi was the seventh President of Finland . Representing the Finnish Party and the National Coalition Party, he also served as Prime Minister of Finland , and was generally an influential figure in Finnish economics and politics for over fifty years...
in December 1948.
United States
In 1949 Törni, accompanied by his wartime executive officer Holger Pitkänen, escaped to SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, crossing the border from Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
to Haparanda
Haparanda
Haparanda is a locality and the seat of Haparanda Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 4,778 inhabitants in 2005. It is adjacent to Tornio, Finland...
(Haaparanta), where many inhabitants are of ethnic Finnish origin. From Haparanda Törni travelled by railroad to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
where he found protection and shelter with the Baroness Von Essen, who harbored many fugitive Finnish officers following the war. Pitkänen was arrested and repatriated to Finland, but Törni fell in love with a Swedish Finn, Marja Kops, and was soon engaged to be married. Hoping to establish a career before the marriage, Törni travelled disguised under an alias as a Swedish seaman aboard SS Bolivia, on a destination to Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. In Caracas' harbour, Törni met one of his Winter War commanders, Finnish colonel Matti Aarnio
Matti Aarnio
Matti Armas Aarnio, known as Motti-Matti was a Finnish military officer and a specialist in motti battles during the World War II.- Career :...
, who was in exile and settled in Venezuela after the war. In 1950 Caracas, Törni was hired to a Swedish cargo ship MS Skagen, with a destination to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. While in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, near Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Törni jumped overboard and swam to shore. Törni travelled to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he was helped by the Finnish-American community living in Brooklyn's "Finntown," where he worked as a carpenter and cleaner. In 1953, Törni was granted a residence permit through an Act of Congress that was shepherded by the law firm of "Wild Bill" Donovan, the former head of the OSS, America's wartime covert military organization.
Törni joined the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1954 under the provisions of the Lodge-Philbin Act
Lodge-Philbin Act
The Lodge-Philbin Act was a U.S. law, passed on 30 June 1950, which allowed for the recruiting of foreign nationals into a military force fighting under the command of the U.S. armed forces. The Act permitted initially up to 2,500 non-resident aliens to enlist...
and adopted the name Larry Thorne. While in the US Army, he was befriended by a group of Finnish-American officers who came to be known as "Marttinen's Men." Similar to Thorne, this group of decorated Finnish wartime officers had emigrated to the United States and were inducted into the US Army under the Lodge Act. Several were brought into Special Forces at its inception.
With their support, Private Thorne was soon on his way into Special Forces. While in Special Forces he taught skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, survival, mountaineering, and guerrilla tactics
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
. In turn he attended Airborne School, and quickly advanced in rank, attaining a reserve commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1957. He later received a regular commission and a promotion to Captain in 1960. From 1958 to 1962 he served in 10th Special Forces Group in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. While there he was second in command of a search and rescue mission in the Zagros mountains
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq. With a total length of 1,500 km , from northwestern Iran, and roughly correlating with Iran's western border, the Zagros range spans the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ends at the Strait of...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, gaining him a notable reputation.
In November 1963 he joined the Special Forces unit A-734 in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and fought in the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
, where he was twice decorated.
In 1965, he transferred to MACVSOG training unit in Vietnam as a military advisor. On 18 October 1965, he left for a clandestine mission where his helicopter crashed in a mountainous area of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, 25 miles (40 km) away from Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
. When a rescue team arrived, they were unable to locate the crash site. The coordinates are 48 PYB 9455 8960.
Shortly after his disappearance Thorne was promoted to the rank of Major.
Larry Thorne's remains were found in 1999 and formally identified in 2003. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, section 60, tombstone 8136, on 26 June 2003.
Legacy
His U.S. memorial is the Larry Thorne Headquarters Building, 10th SFG(A), Fort CarsonFort Carson, Colorado
Fort Carson is a United States Army installation located near Colorado Springs, primarily in El Paso County, Colorado. It is north of Pueblo, Colorado in Pueblo County. The 137,000 acre installation extends south into Pueblo and Fremont counties...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. In Finland, the survivors, friends and families of Detachment Törni formed the Lauri Törni Tradition Guild.
In the book The Green Berets
The Green Berets (book)
The Green Berets is a book written by Robin Moore about the Green Berets during the Vietnam War. First published in 1965, it became a best-selling paperback in 1966. The latest edition was published in 2007.-Background:...
by Robin Moore
Robin Moore
Robert Lowell "Robin" Moore, Jr. was an American writer who is most known for his books The Green Berets, The French Connection: A True Account of Cops, Narcotics, and International Conspiracy and, with Xaviera Hollander and Yvonne Dunleavy, The Happy Hooker: My Own Story.Moore also co-authored...
, the "Sven Kornie" main character in the first chapter was based on Larry Thorne. The book was later made into a movie
The Green Berets (film)
The Green Berets is a 1968 war film featuring John Wayne, George Takei, David Janssen, Jim Hutton and Aldo Ray, nominally based on the eponymous 1965 book by Robin Moore, though the screenplay has little relation to the book....
by the same name starring John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
.
In the 2004 TV programme Suuret Suomalaiset
Suuret suomalaiset
Suuret suomalaiset was a 2004 television show broadcast in Finland by YLE , which determined the 100 greatest Finns of all time according to the opinions of its viewers. The viewers were able to vote during a programme which lasted from October to December 2004...
("Great Finns"), Larry Thorne was voted the 52nd greatest Finn of all time.
Literature
- Cleverley, J. Michael: Born a Soldier, The Times and Life of Larry Thorne, October 2008, Booksurge. 354 page and 17 photographs, maps and timeline, ISBN 9781439214374.
- Cleverley, J. Michael: Syntynyt Sotilaaksi, November 2003, Otava Publishing Co. 416 pages and 22 photographs, maps and timeline, ISBN 951-1-18853-4.
- Cleverley, J. Michael: Lauri Törni Yrke Soldat, October 2008, Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek, 361 pages, photographs, maps, and timeline, ISBN 978-91-85789-22-1.
- Gill III, H. A.: The Soldier Under Three Flags, June 1998, Pathfinder publishing. 208 pages and 37 photographs, ISBN 0-934793-65-4.
- Kallonen, Kari - Sarjanen, Petri: "Legenda - Lauri Törni, Larry Thorne", 2004, Revontuli Publishing Co. 397 pages and 100 photographs, ISBN 952-5170-38-1.