Pritzker Military Museum & Library

Thanks for sharing this Lt Col Charlie Brown. These stories should make national news, sadly they dont. Just an update, I didnt see who it was when I posted. I met Col Thorsness at a Medal of Honor convention in Boston a while back. He was thanking me and my twin brother for our service in Vietnam. He had it all wrong, I couldn't thank him enough. His Medal of Honor, his years of torture in Hanoi. This is national news and he should be remembered every day. Me, Col Thorness and my twin brother Kevin, all Vietnam vets.

Thank you Lt Col Charlie Brown for honoring Col Leo Keith Thorsness who was awarded the Medal of Honor and who passed away May 2, 2017.

Here is his Medal of Honor citation
"Rank: Major
Organization: U.S. Air Force
Company: 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Born: 14 February 1932, Walnut Grove, Minn.
Departed: Yes (05/02/2017)
Entered Service At: Walnut Grove, MN
Date of Issue: 10/15/1973
Accredited To: Walnut Grove, MN
Place / Date: Over North Vietnam, 19 April 1967

Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. As pilot of an F- 105 aircraft, Lt. Col. Thorsness was on a surface-to-air missile suppression mission over North Vietnam. Lt. Col. Thorsness and his wingman attacked and silenced a surface-to-air missile site with air-to-ground missiles, and then destroyed a second surface-to-air missile site with bombs. In the attack on the second missile site, Lt. Col. Thorsness' wingman was shot down by intensive antiaircraft fire, and the 2 crewmembers abandoned their aircraft. Lt. Col. Thorsness circled the descending parachutes to keep the crewmembers in sight and relay their position to the Search and Rescue Center. During this maneuver, a MIG-17 was sighted in the area. Lt. Col. Thorsness immediately initiated an attack and destroyed the MIG. Because his aircraft was low on fuel, he was forced to depart the area in search of a tanker. Upon being advised that 2 helicopters were orbiting over the downed crew's position and that there were hostile MlGs in the area posing a serious threat to the helicopters, Lt. Col. Thorsness, despite his low fuel condition, decided to return alone through a hostile environment of surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft defenses to the downed crew's position. As he approached the area, he spotted 4 MIG-17 aircraft and immediately initiated an attack on the MlGs, damaging 1 and driving the others away from the rescue scene. When it became apparent that an aircraft in the area was critically low on fuel and the crew would have to abandon the aircraft unless they could reach a tanker, Lt. Col. Thorsness, although critically short on fuel himself, helped to avert further possible loss of life and a friendly aircraft by recovering at a forward operating base, thus allowing the aircraft in emergency fuel condition to refuel safely. Lt. Col. Thorsness' extraordinary heroism, self-sacrifice, and personal bravery involving conspicuous risk of life were in the highest traditions of the military service, and have reflected great credit upon himself and the U.S. Air Force."
http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3433/thorsness-leo-k.php

FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Maj Marty Hogan PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SP5 Robert Ruck SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Michael Thorin SPC Margaret Higgins SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

Thank you for the great share ma'am, Rest in Peace sir.