MARSHALL — Walnut Grove native Leo Thorsness — the last living Medal of Honor recipient from Minnesota — died this past week at the age of 85.

Thorsness was a retired Air Force Colonel who spent six years in captivity in North Vietnam after he was shot down in 1967. U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, was also among the prisoners of war (POWs) to be held and tortured at the Hoa Lo Prison, which was nicknamed “Hanoi Hilton.”

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend and fellow POW, Lt. Col. Leo Thorsness,” McCain said in a statement. “One of the greatest honors of my life was serving with Leo, a man whose service exemplified selfless duty and devotion to others. Leo earned the Medal of Honor for his heroism in a daring combat mission in North Vietnam in 1967 when he flew directly into hostile territory on dangerously low fuel in an attempt to rescue his comrades who had been downed in an attack.”

Two weeks after the courageous mission — and seven missions shy of completing his tour — Thorsness and his electronic warfare officer Harold Johnson were shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese.

“Leo would spend the next six years imprisoned, including a full year in solitary confinement, and endure unspeakable pain and suffering because of his steadfast adherence to our code of conduct,” McCain said. “But Leo never let this experience break his spirit, and inspired the rest of us with his patriotism, perseverance and hope that we would someday be free.”

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. There have been 3,498 recipients since 1863. The last was awarded in July 2016. Currently, there are 74 living Medal of Honor recipients.

This past October, as part of the 2016 Medal of Honor Convention, which was held in Minnesota for the first time, Thorsness took time to visit his hometown of Walnut Grove.

“There are four words that all start with ‘F’ that will make your life very full,” Thorsness said to the Westbrook-Walnut Grove elementary students. “Those words are: friends, family, faith and fun. If you focus on those, you’re going to have a good life.”

Thorsness told the students he was in them military for 23 years (1951-1973). He also said being a fighter pilot was the best job in the world.

“It was a fun job if you like speed and a challenge,” he said. “It’s nice we don’t all like the same job, but mine was the best.”

The highly-decorated war hero shared some of the struggles of being a POW with the young students, but was conscience of their age and didn’t reveal horrifying details. A book Thorsness wrote about his experience — called “Surviving Hell: A POW’s Journey — was published in 2011.

“Every prisoner came home more red, white and blue than when we left,” Thorsness said. “We appreciated our freedom more.”

Thorsness took offense at President Donald Trump’s campaign comment in 2015, when Trump said that McCain was “not a war hero” because “I like people that weren’t captured OK?” The irony that Trump was granted five deferments and never served in the military was not lost on the Medal of Honor recipient.

“Trump owes us an apology,” Thorsness said.

To the WWG students, Thorsness explained how extremely difficult it was to continually stay optimistic while wondering if the U.S. government had forgotten about the American prisoners. But every single one of the POWs came home more patriotic, he said.

“How do you celebrate your getting your freedom back after six years?” he asked. “It was a phenomenally great day.”

After engaging with the elementary students, Thorsness got a hero’s welcome from community members. He also learned that the city park was being renamed in his honor.

“Looking back, we are very grateful that we had the opportunity to spend some time with Leo recently,” Walnut Grove Mayor Greg Hansen said. “We are progressing on our Veterans Memorial Park — which we’ll name Leo Thorsness Memorial Park — and hope to dedicate it this spring or early summer.”

Leo Keith Thorsness was born Feb. 14, 1932, and grew up in Walnut Grove. He attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, where he met his wife Gaylee. After retiring from the military, he ran for public office, eventually serving as a state senator in Washington state from 1988 to 1992.

Thorsness retired to Arizona and later, to Florida. He died May 2 in St. Augustine, Florida. He is survived by his wife, their daughter (Dawn) and two grandchildren.

“After returning home, Leo continued to live a selfless life of service — as a volunteer, state senator and public speaker with a simple message: ‘Do what’s right and help others,'” McCain said. “I am forever grateful for Leo’s generosity, friendship and example, and along with Cindy, send my heartfelt condolences to Leo’s wife Gaylee and their entire family as we bid farewell to a genuine American hero.”