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Fairview Cemetery

Born:  September 29, 1918 at Keansburg, NJ

Entered Service in the US Army from Keyport, NJ

Earned The Medal of Honor During World War II For heroism December 21, 1944 at Grufflingen, Belgium

Corporal Thorne was the leader of a combat patrol near Grufflingen, Belgium, with the mission of driving German forces from dug-in positions in a wooded area. As he advanced his light machinegun, a German Mark Ill tank emerged and was quickly immobilized by fire from American light tanks supporting the patrol. Two of the enemy tankmen attempted to abandon their vehicle but were killed by Corporal Thorne before they could jump to the ground. To complete the destruction of the tank and its crew, he then left his covered position and crept forward alone through intense machinegun fire until close enough to toss two grenades into the tank's open turret, killing two 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 eight. Two enemy machinegun crews abandoned their positions and retreated in confusion. His gun Jammed; but rather than leave his post he attempted to clear the stoppage; enemy small-arms fire, concentrated on the tank, killed him instantly.