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| PFC John Thorson earned the Medal of Honor in the Battle of Leyte while serving with the 7th Infantry Division. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7680559 Humboldt Independent, 19 Dec 1944 http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-Return/maps/USA-P-Return-6.jpg |
John Friestad Thorson, Jr. never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
John was born on May 10, 1920 in Armstrong, Iowa. His parents John and Anna Marie were born in Norway and Iowa, respectively. All his grandparents were from Norway. His father worked as a farmer. John had two older brothers, four older sisters, and one younger sister. By 1940 John had completed two years of high school and was still living on the family farm with his parents.
He enlisted in the army in April 1942. He became a private class in Company G, 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. During his time with the 7th ID he saw a lot of action. He served at Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands in 1943. He landed on Kwajalein in January 1944 for that four day battle.
On October 20, 1944, the 7th ID landed at Dulag, Leyte. Resistance was light, compared to many prior landings in the war. It had advanced more than six miles to Burauen by October 24. Over the next four days the 7th ID move another four miles closing in on Dogami.
On October 28, 1944 PFC Thorson was wounded while single-handedly assaulting an enemy trench. He then rolled onto a Japanese hand grenade to save the lives of other Americans who had joined him. His valorous action was recognized with a posthumous Medal of Honor.
His citation reads as follows:
He was an automatic rifleman on 28 October 1944, in the attack on Dagami, Leyte, Philippine Islands.
A heavily fortified enemy position consisting of pillboxes and supporting trenches held up the advance of his company. His platoon was ordered to out-flank and neutralize the strongpoint. Voluntarily moving out well in front of his group, Pvt. Thorson came upon an enemy fire trench defended by several hostile riflemen and, disregarding the intense fire directed at him, attacked single-handed. He was seriously wounded and fell about 6 yards from the trench.
Just as the remaining 20 members of the platoon reached him, one of the enemy threw a grenade into their midst. Shouting a warning and making a final effort, Pvt. Thorson rolled onto the grenade and smothered the explosion with his body. He was instantly killed, but his magnificent courage and supreme self-sacrifice prevented the injury and possible death of his comrades, and remain with them as a lasting inspiration.
Thank you PFC Thorson for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for John.
JEFF COOPER
John Dean "Jeff" Cooper was born on the exact same date as John Thorson. Cooper was born in California. He was in junior ROTC in high school. He completed a degree in political science from Stanford University before the war and joined the USMC.
Cooper was assigned to the marine detachment on the battleship USS Pennsylvania. He ended the war with the rank of major. He also served in Korea but the Marines did not let him stay in the service any longer after that.
In 1976 Cooper founded the American Pistol Institute. He is best known as the creator of the modern technique of handgun shooting of two-handed shooting.
Cooper died in 2006.
Last year on this date I profiled Ploiesti fallen and Distinguished Flying Cross hero Robert Senff, B-24 navigator. You can read about Robert 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
A cargo ship was named in his honor.
His grave is at Keokuk National Cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa.
JEFF COOPER
John Dean "Jeff" Cooper was born on the exact same date as John Thorson. Cooper was born in California. He was in junior ROTC in high school. He completed a degree in political science from Stanford University before the war and joined the USMC.
Cooper was assigned to the marine detachment on the battleship USS Pennsylvania. He ended the war with the rank of major. He also served in Korea but the Marines did not let him stay in the service any longer after that.
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| https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/contest-entry-rule-5-take-the-shot/ |
Cooper died in 2006.
Last year on this date I profiled Ploiesti fallen and Distinguished Flying Cross hero Robert Senff, B-24 navigator. You can read about Robert 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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