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

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

) was a

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

n 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 (, 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 are located at Zokniai Air Base ne ...

. After 1943 During German occupation, he became commander of the Lithuanian Liberty Army 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 (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

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 () 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. History Interwar period Reje ...

, 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 distinguish ...

, 1931 * Knight of the

Order of the White Lion The Order of the White Lion () 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 having no civilian decoration for its citizens in the 192 ...

, 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