Jonas Liorentas (1 August 1901 in Žvirgždaičiai – 8 July 1991 in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

) was a Lithuanian war pilot and officer of the Lithuanian Army. In 1919 he volunteered into Lithuanian forces to the active combat with the Russian Soviet Army. In 1926 he entered

Lithuanian Air Force The Lithuanian Air Force or LAF ( lt, Lietuvos karinės oro pajėgos, abbreviated as ''LK KOP'') is the military aviation branch of the Lithuanian armed forces. It is formed from professional military servicemen and non-military personnel. Units ...

. After 1943 During German occupation, he became commander of the

Lithuanian Liberty Army The Lithuanian Liberty Army (sometimes also named as Lithuanian Freedom Army) ( lt, Lietuvos laisvės armija or LLA) was a Lithuanian underground military organization established by (codename Senis), a Vilnius University Law Faculty student, on ...

in Kaunas district. After defeat of German forces by the Soviet forces, he escaped to Switzerland. In 1953 he left to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

and was active in Lithuanian national organizations.

Decorations

* Knight's Cross of the

Order of the Cross of Vytis The Order of the Cross of Vytis ( lt, Vyčio Kryžiaus ordinas) is a Lithuanian presidential award conferred for heroic defence of Lithuania's freedom and independence. November 23 is a holiday in honour of the Order of the Cross of Vytis. Histo ...

, 1919 * Knight's Cross of the

Order of Vytautas the Great The Order of Vytautas the Great is the Lithuanian Presidential Award.''Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucija. 84 straipsnis''. Priimta 1992 It may be conferred on the heads of Lithuania and foreign states, as well as their citizens, for distinguished ...

, 1931 * Knight of the

Order of the White Lion The Order of the White Lion ( cs, Řád Bílého lva) is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia had no civilian decoration for its ...

, 1934

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Liorentas, Jonas 1901 births 1991 deaths Lithuanian aviators Lithuanian people of World War II Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Vytis Knights of the Order of Vytautas the Great Knights of the Order of the White Lion Lithuanian refugees in the United States