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| Cpl. Horace Thorne served with the 89th Calvary Reconnaissance Squadron during the Battle of the Bulge. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7201332/horace-marvin-thorne https://battleofthebulge.org/2013/06/04/89th-cavalry-recon-squadron-bobby-cobb/ |
Horace Marvin "Bud" Thorne never had a chance to reach 100 years old this past weekend. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on September 29, 1918 in New Jersey. His parents Lester and Zelma were born in New Jersey and New York, respectively. His father worked as a farmer. Bud had one older brother, five younger sisters, and two younger brothers. By 1940 Horace had completed four years of high school and was working as an insurance clerk.
He enlisted in the US Army on March 13, 1942. He became a corporal and light machine gunner in Troop D, 89th Calvary Reconnaissance Squadron, 9th Armored Division.
He married Jessie Leah Pinson, the sister of Sgt. Lindel Pinson, a friend from his unit, on March 3, 1944. His unit was sent to Europe in August 1944.
When the Germans attacked through the Ardennes Forest on December 16, 1944, the 89th CRS was in Luxembourg. It was sent to the southern end of the advancing Germans to hold and repel the enemy.
On December 21, 1942, The 89th CRS was given the assignment of clearing a strong force of Germans in a wooded area near Grufflinger, Belgium. After an American tank disabled a German Mark III, Cpl. Thorne advanced by himself to take out the crew inside the still dangerous tank. His brother-in-law Sgt. Pinson shouted for him to come back to the relative safety of their dug-in position, but Cpl. Thorne ignored the pleas and proceeded to singlehandedly eliminate multiple machine-gun positions from the exposed position on top of the tank. He was killed after his machine-gun jammed.
For his action that day, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His citation reads as follows:
Two of the enemy tankmen attempted to abandon their vehicle but were killed by Cpl. Thorne's shots before they could jump to the ground. To complete the destruction of the tank and its crew, Cpl. Thorne left his covered position and crept forward alone through intense machinegun fire until close enough to toss 2 grenades into the tank's open turret, killing 2 more Germans.
He returned across the same fire-beaten zone as heavy mortar fire began falling in the area, seized his machinegun and, without help, dragged it to the knocked-out tank and set it up on the vehicle's rear deck. He fired short rapid bursts into the enemy positions from his advantageous but exposed location, killing or wounding 8. Two enemy machinegun crews abandoned their positions and retreated in confusion.
His gun jammed; but rather than leave his self-chosen post he attempted to clear the stoppage; enemy small-arms fire, concentrated on the tank, killed him instantly. Cpl. Thorne, displaying heroic initiative and intrepid fighting qualities, inflicted costly casualties on the enemy and insured the success of his patrol's mission by the sacrifice of his life.
Thank you Cpl. Thorne for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Horace.
Last year on this date I profiled West Point grad Rudyard Kipling Grimes, Philippines Scouts. You can read about Rudyard here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
His grave is at Fair View Cemetery in Middletown, New Jersey. His widow did not remarry and died in 2002.
Last year on this date I profiled West Point grad Rudyard Kipling Grimes, Philippines Scouts. You can read about Rudyard here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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