History
Larson Air Force Base was named in honor of Major Donald A. Larson, USAAF in May 1950. Major Larson was from Yakima, Washington and was killed 4 August 1944 on a fighter mission over Germany while assigned to the VIII Fighter Command 505th Fighter Squadron. He had flown 57 combat missions when his P-51D Mustang (AAF Ser. No. 44-13881) with the nose-name "Mary Queen of Scotts" was shot down and crashed near Ulzen, Germany. He was buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, nine miles (14 km) west of Liège, Belgium.
His medals and decorations include the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with three clusters, Purple Heart, American Defense Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, American Area Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal (posthumously).
Major Larson enlisted as a flying cadet at McChord Field, Tacoma, Washington in April 1941. He completed advanced flight training in California and went overseas in January 1944.
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