Raymond C. Larson
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Raymond C. Larson of Proctor, Minnesota entered the Army on October 23, 1942.
He was a Staff Sergeant and high speed radio operator with the 335th Infantry Regiment in the 84th Infantry Division and Third Army.
He was transported aboard the SS Ile de France with 1,000 other troops overseas to Firth of Clyde, Scotland, then to Liverpool, England. The weather "was so foggy even the birds were walking."
Later, he went to Southampton on D-Day-plus-5. He spent seven days aboard an LCI on North Sea during the "worst storm in 50 years." He landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy, on D-plus-12 at St. Vast LaHogue.
"July 25, 1944, 3,000 U.S. planes take St. Lo, France off [the] map in one day."
Mr. Larson received the: Army of Occupation Medal(Germany).
He was separated on December 30, 1946.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 168.
