From my reading, Thorne and other Finnish officers had to take the ferry over to Germany and wear civilian clothing enroute to the W-SS Junkerschule (OCS). He was sent by his government, but -- as was said -- the Finns in this particular class were recalled before completing OCS.
Some researchers/interested parties posit that later, near the end of the war, Torni again went to Germany to participate in the
Werwolf sabotage activities (I think this statement is contested by some and supported by others). He just hated communists and wanted to kill them. (I worked for a Major Dickinson at the NTC whose best-know response to almost everything was, "What's that got to do with killing Communists?" He would have loved Torni.)
Torni returned to Finland after the war and was identified along with Keravuori (if I recall) and others of stockpiling government arms on the QT, for future use (they were dissatisfied with Finland's easy truce with Russia). Torni was incarcerated but later escaped and made his way eventually to the US: he jumped ship in Mobile Bay (AL) and swam to shore.
Similar situation with Keravuori, though since he was not associated with the W-SS he had an easier time getting into the US and the Army. I remember my father telling me that LTC Keravuori could never even visit his family in Finland because he would still be arrested (this was ca. 1966-68). Dunno if that was accurate at the time or "urban legend" .... well "SF Legend."
My father also told me that Larry Thorne was a double-recipient of the Mannerheim Cross; but that is an incorrect SF Legend. Thorne had two orders of the Freedom Cross plus the Mannerheim Cross. There was only one or two individuals ever who were Mannerhiem double-receipients.
Regarding the Iron Cross II Class (EKII), Larry is reported to say that a number of EKIIs were provided by the Germans to be handed out to Finnish soldiers; he never understood why he received his as it was not related to any of his deeds against the Russians. (Again, I'm recalling this from memory and might not present a fully accurate summation.)
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