Lauri Allan Törni, born on May 28, 1919 in Viborg, Finland, became a unic soldier who fought Communism under three different flags.
His military path began in 1939 with the Finnish Army during the Winter War, where he fought Soviet forces at Lemetti.
After the Winter war, in 1941, Vänrikki Törni joined the Waffen-SS and later served as an SS-Untersturmführer in the Finnish SS-Freiwilligen Bataillon Nordost.
During the Continuation War, his unit proved so effective that Soviet authorities reportedly placed a three million Finnish Mark bounty on his head.
Unwilling to accept the Moscow Armistice, Törni returned to Germany in January 1945, training as a saboteur within the Werwolf program to organize resistance should Finland fall under Soviet occupation. Promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer in April, he later commanded a German unit that fought through Soviet lines near Berlin before surrendering to U.S. paratroopers.
Transferred between Allied POW camps, Törni escaped British custody but was later arrested in Finland and sentenced to six years in prison. With the help of a guard, he fled to Sweden in 1949.
In 1954, he emigrated to the United States, enlisted in the U.S. Army under the name Larry Alan Thorne, and was selected for the Special Forces together with ”Marttinens men”.
He served with distinction in multiple Special Forces units, fighting in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and later with MACV-SOG. On October 18, 1965, his helicopter crashed in Laos during a covert mission.
His remains were recovered decades later, identified in 2003, and laid to rest with full American and Vietnamese military honors at Arlington National Cemetery as the only soldier from Scandinavia given that honor.
Among numerous decorations, Törni was awarded the Mannerheim Cross, Finland’s highest military honor.
He was also awarded the Legion of Merit and Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and twice Purple Heart and posthumous Major. Just to mention a few of all his awards, badges and citations.
John Wayne’s character, Colonel Mike Kirby, in
The Green Berets was directly inspired by the real-life Green Beret, Lauri Törni, who later went by the name Larry Thorne. Törni/Thorne, a Finnish-born soldier who fought under three flags (Finnish, German, and U.S.), was known for his bravery and combat experience, with author Robin Moore drawing from his exploits for the book that inspired the movie.
More detailed biography about Lauri Törni / Larry Thorne and his impressive military career:
In the Finnish Army
In German uniform
In American uniform. The last photo taken of him before he died in a helicopter under a covert operation.
In American uniform
Buried honourably in Arlington National Cemetery.
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