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Larson Harold James

Name:
Harold James Larson
Rank:
First Lieutenant
Serial Number:
Unit:
706th Bomber Squadron, 446th Bomb Group
Date of Death:
1944-04-27
State:
North Dakota
Cemetery:
Rest Cemetery, Pingree, North Dakota
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:

Harold James Larson was born on May 8, 1922, in Pingree, North Dakota. He was the youngest of four children born to "Harry" and Hilma (Holmberg) Larson. He participated in chorus and band while at school in Pingree, Valley City, and the Fargo Ag College. Upon completing flight training, he was assigned to the 706th Bomb Squadron of the 446th Bomb Group and was deployed to England in October 1943. The unit was tasked with striking industrial targets on the continent of Europe.

On April 27, 1944, 1Lt Larson was the Pilot of B-24H #41-29543 that was assigned to a bombing mission on the marshaling yards at Blainville, France. The bomber stream encountered heavy flak en route to and over the target. The aircraft Scott was in was struck, with two engines set ablaze. The pilot nursed the wounded bomber back toward the English coast but eventually felt he could not make it. He gave the bailout signal. Two of the crew made it out.

Attempting to land, the aircraft struck the cliff top at Foreness Bay, near Cliftonville, Kent, England. Witnesses state the engines broke off, the remainder of the aircraft toppled backward on the beach, and exploded. All crew was killed except the two who bailed out. This was the 9th mission for the crew.

1Lt Larson is now buried in the Rest Cemetery, Pingree, Stutsman County, North Dakota, USA.

Crew listing on mission log is as follows:
1 Lt Harold J. Larson p
1 Lt Clifford L. Denning
1 Lt George M Hafner nav
1 Lt Claude Lanphere
SSgt Louis Bart gun
SSgt William Holt gun
SSgt Melvin Warren gun
SSgt Orval B. Scott gun
TSgt Edward Hilgeman eng
TSgt Carl M. Smith r/o

Crew positions not indicated were not given. No Missing Air Crew Report found, but individual names appear on USAAF Accident Log for April 1944.

Source of information: https://airforce.togetherweserved.com, www.findagrave.com