John F. Thorson

Infobox Military Person
name=John F. Thorson
born= Birth date|1920|5|10
died= death date and age|1944|10|29|1920|5|10
placeofbirth=Armstrong, Iowa
placeofdeath=Dagami, Leyte, the Philippines,
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Private First Class
commands=
unit=17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
battles=World War II
awards=Medal of Honor
relations=
laterwork=

John F. Thorson (May 10, 1920 – October 29, 1944) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Biography

Thorson joined the Army from his birth city of Armstrong, Iowa, and by October 28, 1944 was serving as a private first class in Company G, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. On that day, in Dagami, Leyte province, in the Philippines, Thorson was wounded while single-handedly attacking an enemy trench, then smothered the blast of an enemy-thrown hand grenade with his body. He successfully protected his fellow soldiers from the blast, but died of his injuries the next day. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor nine months later, on July 19, 1945.

Thorson, aged 24 at his death, was buried in Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa.

Medal of Honor citation

Private First Class Thorson's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

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 well out 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, 1 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.

Honored in ship naming

The U.S. Army ship USAT "Pvt. John F. Thorson" which served in the Pacific Ocean at the end of World War II was named in his honor.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

References

*findagrave|7680559 Retrieved on 2007-10-03

*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (T-Z)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = July 16, 2007
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/html/moh/wwII-t-z.html
accessdate = 2007-10-03

Persondata
NAME= Thorson, John F.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=