That day’s biography belonged to Robert D. Larson.
Robert was a captain in the United States Air Force – but many years before, he had been a Grover. A member of the class of 1951. Students and chaperones alike were surprised when they heard the familiar name of Oak Grove appear.
After graduating from Oak Grove, Robert enlisted in the Air Force and served for over ten years. He was killed at age 28 when his plane crashed during operations in South Vietnam, on Feb. 2, 1962. He was the first Minnesotan killed in the Vietnam War.
Growing up in Grand Forks, Robert moved to Moorhead for his senior year of high school, when his older brother, Rev. Clarence Larson, became the President of Oak Grove.
According to the 1951 yearbook, he was active in many activities, including the yearbook club, football, varsity basketball team, and school play.
During his time in the air force, he worked his way up to the rank of captain. He married a woman named Faye, and they had three children together.
Part of Robert’s bio, as read in the Vietnam Memorial Database, reads “Larson enlisted in the United States Air Force from Clay County, and became a pilot with the 309th Troop Carrier Squadron, 464th Troop Carrier Wing, 13th Air Force. Rising to the rank of Captain, he flew the Fairchild C-123 Provider, a tactical transport aircraft used heavily in the early stages of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
On February 2, 1962, Capt. Larson was killed when his C-123 crashed during operations in South Vietnam. Though some early reports described it as a training accident, later records listed his death as the result of hostile action. He was 28 years old, making him the first Minnesotan killed in the Vietnam War. His body was recovered, and he was buried in North Carolina. His widow and children later relocated to California.”
Robert was also decorated with several commendations, including the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross.
Robert is far from the only fallen soldier or veteran who hailed from Oak Grove. But the odds that his name was the one chosen for the middle school tour group to read about are far smaller.
While the trip was designed to teach students about American history, this unexpected connection made that history feel much more personal. Learning about the life of an Oak Grove graduate was a meaningful reminder of the many alumni who have gone on to serve their communities and their country. More than 60 years after his death, Robert Larson’s story continues to be remembered—not only at the memorial in Washington, D.C., but also by the Oak Grove community he was once a part of.
