Carol Verle Larson was born on June 23, 1918, in Colton, South Dakota. He was the son of Lloyd Albert Larson and June Mabel Aker Larson. He graduated from Brookings High School in Brookings, SD in 1937, joined the National Guard in 1938 and received a commission in the Air Force. He was accepted as a flying cadet August 9, 1942. He flew more than 50 bombing missions in his B-26 bomber. On his final mission, his aircraft received extensive damage, but limped back to base. Another bomber in the flight was more seriously damaged and was given landing priority. Although Larson's aircraft was very low on fuel, he dutifully circled, awaiting his turn. His fuel ran out. He set the aircraft down in a field. It careened into a grove of trees. Lt Larson, 26, was killed. Shortly afterward, his father Lloyd Larson decided to have his son buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery in England.
Other information: The Bad Penny the 2nd" of the 554th Bomb Squadron 386th Bomb Group hit a tree while force landing near to its base. The crew were: 1.Lt's Carol V Larson; Donald D Tanck; S/Sgt's Harry J Bevan; Samuel H Schmerler; Leonard Zuckerman, Pfc Guy A Youngblood. Larson and Tanck were killed; Youngblood injured and the rest of the crew suffered minor injuries.
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