SERVICEMEN WRITE (to Joy Hanson, Editor of the Ellsworth News)
M.V. Vining recently had a letter from his son Harold, and among the interesting things he writes to homefolks from his location in India, are as follows:
Dear Folks: Had the surprise of my life the other day. One of our pilots approached me and asked me if I was from Ellsworth, Iowa. I had a dickens of a time to recognize him, but he was none other than Donald Larson. Went to school with Gale and Bob at Randall. His brother, Clifton, went to Ellsworth High with Vern, Jake & Company. Larson is a captain and is tops as a pilot. Don’t come any better. Sure quite a coincidence, me working on the ships he is flying.
Standing the heat O.K., and when I say heat that’s what I mean with a capital letter. So long, Harold
Source: Ellsworth News, May 14, 1944
Oscar Larson family, Randall, IA
Sons of Oscar and Selma Charlson Larson served in World War II.
Donald Maynard Larson was in the Army Air Corps, his service including the 9th Photo Squadron based in India.
Clifton James Larson was a medic in the Army.
David Laverne Larson was in the Army, serving in Japan.
His Obituary: South Hamilton Record News, Jewell, IA - Aug. 29, 2007
Donald M. Larson, 87, of Radcliffe, passed away on August 20, 2007 at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. Funeral services were held at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Radcliffe on Friday, August 24, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Craig Benson officiating. Internment took place at the Radcliffe Cemetery. Military honors were presented by the American Legion Post #317 of Radcliffe.
Donald Maynard Larson was born on December 30, 1919, in Randall, Iowa. He was the eldest child of Oscar and Selma (Charlson) Larson.
He received his education by attending rural school, graduating from Ellsworth High School in 1937. After completing two years at Iowa State University, Don enlisted into the U.S. Army Air Corps on January 26, 1942, at Ft. Des Moines, Iowa. He began his military career as a student airplane pilot at Victorville Army Flying School in Victorville, California completing his pilot training on August 26, 1942. He accepted his commission as Captain and continued his training as a Photo Recon Pilot at the 379th Army Air Force Base Unit from June 1943 - December 1945. Don flew missions in a P-38 crossing the China, India, Burma “Hump”. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Don was a representative for an agricultural pharmaceutical company, traveling the State of Iowa, specializing in medicating poultry.
On Sept 20, 1986, Donald was united in marriage to Esther Knutson at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Ellsworth, Iowa. They resided on a farm south of Ellsworth until the spring of 2005, when they moved into their new home in Radcliffe.
Don was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Radcliffe, Iowa, and the Ellsworth American Legion Post #598 in Ellsworth, Iowa.
A surgical procedure prompted Don to become a resident of the Colonial Manor of Zearing, Iowa, on July 10, 2007. He passed away Monday, August 20, 2007, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa.
Those thankful for having shared his life include his wife Esther of Radcliffe; one daughter Judy and her husband Tony Ysais of Lomita, CA; three step-sons Nathan Knutson of Judson, TX, Clark Knutson of Plattsburgh, NY, and Dallas Knutson of Hubbard; 11 step-grandchildren; five step great-grandchildren; two brothers Clifton Larson of Ellsworth, and David Larson of Poway, CA and one sister Beverly Isvick of Jewell; along with many other relatives and friends.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and ex-wife Barbara.
Arrangements were entrusted to Boeke Funeral Home, Radcliffe, Iowa.
Source: ancestry.com
