Texan Reacts to Sabaton-Soldier of 3 Armies

[@rayceofhistory]

Discord! discord.gg/ehKStvcZ

[@mrlizardtx]

You are correct. He fought for Finland in The Winter War, Germany (against Russia) in WWII, and a Green Beret in Vietnam. There is a Sabaton history episode for each war.

[@ranvorkvartec7358]

If this man was still alive we know where he’ll be. Man was born to do one thing and one thing only.

[@PsD14JR]

If He Was Still A live.. he still were fighting against country wich steal his hometown.. he would be in Ukrain..

[@Nightwalk444]

@@PsD14JR Yes he would 100% it's not even a question

[@tathemrelag3123]

Lauri Törni, the only SS soldier buried in Arlington.

[@rayceofhistory]

I didn’t even think about him being buried in Arlington. I wish I had thought about it before I went there last.

[@reecedignan8365]

A my favourite Sabaton song. Lauri’s story is one of the best. And yup, he served in the Winter War First. Due to his skill he went from a enlisted soldier to a commissioned officer. Volunteered to the SS (tho not due to ideology, all German volunteers got put there as Himmler believed it was good propaganda to show of how united people truth were behind Nazi’ism and because of the war started turning on them, SS units weren’t going to be treated well on the Eastern front so kind of forced said men into a “until you die” pact without them knowing) tho he would serve 90% of WW2 on the Finnish front. And yes his last war was the Vietnam war.

[@rayceofhistory]

The jump from winter war to vietnam made it sound like that wasn’t right, but I’m glad to hear it wasn’t a mistake on my end.

[@ranvorkvartec7358]

1938-1944 (Finnish Army); Winter War. Stop when Finland and Russia signed a cease fire. Reason why he fled to Germany cause Germans were still fighting. 1941/1945 (German Waffen-SS); join to go back to Finland as a saboteur to fight Russia. Near end of WW2 he was captured by the British and became a POW. He end up escaping a fled to the US and changed his name. If I remember right he tried to live a low profile life 1954-1965 (US Army) 1965 his helicopter went MIA and body was later found in 1999.

[@petrisyrja-kokkila7103]

Yes. A propaganda act. At first Finns were promised to serve in the Wermacht. They were called a pawn bataillon here in Finland. Hitler wanted a group of finns to serve in German army in exchange for supplies delivered back to Finland. Also the men were promised special trainings in warware. I dont however, deny the fact that there were men also with political interests. Törni wasn`t one of them.

[@petrisyrja-kokkila7103]

@@rayceofhistory Yeah. He was 46 yrs old. It is beliewed that Törni was in his last tour and was finally willing to accept a desk job offered to him as a major.

[@burning_hunter]

We Remember🫡🇩🇪

[@Bstrand22]

Such an awesome story. And a really great song. The history episodes are super interesting as well.

[@hwheelez24]

I always found it interesting that his grave had Larry Thorne instead of his birth name.

[@kevinmulkey9774]

He just really didn't like anyone claiming to be a communist as far as I can tell. A legit beef on his end with the Winter War. Might have over done it joining the none German SS division, but he just really wanted to fight Communist.

[@rayceofhistory]

The Finnish side of the continuation war is kind of strange historically, but I kind of see it as the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And I think a lot of Finns probably saw it that way.

[@petrisyrja-kokkila7103]

Well the situation here in Finland was somewhat complex back then. We knew that the Soviet Union was planning a new invasion and Germany was the only one offering assistance, secretly of course and with their own agenda. Hitler wanted Finnish troops to serve in german army for political reasons. In return Finland would get supplies, they were often referred as pawn bataillon. The plan originally was that the troops would serve in wehrmacht and together. However ss it was and half of the men were scattered in other units. Also the men were promised special trainings in warware. That`s why there were too many officers and noncoms. There were politically oriented men too, no secret, But they were a small minority. Törni wasn`t one of them.

[@PsD14JR]

Russia destroyed his chilhood hometown.. so he had reasons...

[@Madison-iw8ix]

Lauri was very, very anti-communist. His father, Jalmari, was against the Communist party during the Finnish Civil War, and Russia annexing and invading his homeland and birthplace, Viipurii, certainly didn't help.

[@petrisyrja-kokkila7103]

Lauri Törni has a street named after him in Fort bragg( A special forces training center). He was a macv-sog operator(cpt). USA had to make a whole new law in order to make him servicebly(lex Torni). Main character in Robin Moore`s book and on the following movie(John Wayne) Green beret. I think that he was just a product of his era, a soldier good on his job, than just a blood hungry killer often claimed.

[@rayceofhistory]

I'm going to try to get ahold of that book that is in the Sabaton History episode about him and see if I can learn more about his life.

[@petrisyrja-kokkila7103]

@@rayceofhistory Yeah, enjoy the book. Meanwhile, if you really are interested, there is a decent hour long documentary here in youtube. Some moving picture included. Törnis service buddies both sides of the bond talk about him. Partly subtitled. I mean, you don`t have to react for it, but the doc is not half bad. Törni - Sotilaan tarina (A Soldier's Story) English Subtitles. It is under the suomalia2100

[@KaiHellmann]

Larry Thorne alias Lauri Törni dissappear 1965 in Vietnam by helicopter…

[@hwheelez24]

I say that , because a normal person that is not that familiar with military history may see his grave and not know who he really was.

[@fenrisulfur842]

Sir, I´d recommend "Wolfpack" its the story of the spring 1942 bloodshead just before the US reacted to german U-Boots hunting at the shores of the USA

[@fenrisulfur842]

this song is special for me, since my Grandpa was drafted to serve the Kriegsmarine in WWII

[@celticrebel5229]

😎🤙🤟