Earl R. Larsen was born on March 24, 1924 in Viborg, SD. Earl was the second son of Charles and Minnie Larsen and brother of Rolland, Lowell, Ralph and Earliene. He attended Viborg High School, graduating in 1942, and then went on to a year of college in Brookings. Earl was then inducted into the Army on October 13, 1943. During his service he was awarded five stars for participating in five major battles.

His training took place in Camp Walters, Texas. He was then sent to England in June and transferred to Bacherach. Throughout his service he held the rank of Private First Class and was part of the 35^th radio division in the 137^th Infantry. He fought in the Invasion of Normandy and battles in Belgium, France, Holland, and Germany.

Army Pfc Earl Russell Larsen died in Neustadt, Germany on July 14, 1945. He was seriously injured in a jeep accident during an electrical storm, taken to the hospital on July 6^th and died as a result of an epidural hemorrhage.

On July 31^st, 1945, Charles Larsen, Earl’s father, received this message:

The official casualty report states that your son, who was previously reported seriously ill in a hospital in the European Area, died on 14, July 1945 in the vicinity of Frankfurt-on-Main, Germany, as a result of an epidural hemorrhage.

Earl R. Larsen was buried in the American Military Cemetery at Bensheim, Germany.

Earl R. Larsen was a great soldier. He gave his life for his country. We will always remember him as a great soldier who sacrificed his life for the United States.

This entry was respectfully submitted by Lisa Bones and Ashley Lee, 11^th Grade, Parker High School, Parker, SD, April 30^th, 2002. Information for this entry was provided by Mr. Lowell Larsen, Mobridge, South Dakota, brother of Army Pfc Earl R. Larsen.