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Veteran Ceremonies
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Honor A
Deceased Veteran Ceremony
January 2012
Walter F. Larsen
1923–2006
Hello, my name is Martin Reid and it is my honor to serve as Chairman of the Legislature. It is also my honor to welcome you to the Rensselaer County Legislature as we honor the service and sacrifice of Walter F. Larson.
Born January 9, 1923 in Tacoma, Washington to Walter and Marie Larson, Walter grew up and attended schools in Duluth, Minnesota. The information on Walter indicates that sadly, he had no surviving siblings. He was employed by the Cleveland Steel Erecting Company in Minnesota as a journeyman welder.
Walter worked in various areas of the Midwest, until the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Just months after the attack, and about to turn 20, Walter enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1943.
Following training, Walter was assigned to serve with the Seabees 70th Battalion, Company D and took part in invasions of Sicily and Italy in the European Theatre. The invasions of Sicily and Italy were known for often brutal fighting, with German forces often defending the high ground with significant firepower.
Seabees had the difficult task of building roads and bridges often just behind advancing troops. Because of this, Seabees were exposed to heavy fire and experienced considerable casualties. At times during fiercely contested battles, with the front lines changing, lightly armed Seabees sometimes found themselves in contact with enemy forces.
After his service, Walter then was assigned to the Pacific Theatre, where he served in New Hebrides and Guam. As in the Italy and Sicily invasions, Walter and his unit would have likely been in close proximity to enemy forces.
As part of the island-hopping campaign in the Pacific, it is also likely that Walter and his unit helped construct and maintain airfields used to bomb mainland Japan and other Japanese-held territories and positions. And Walter and his unit would have been exposed to enemy fire and the tropical elements. Walter was injured or wounded, and spent six months in a naval hospital during his service.
He was honorably discharged in June 1945, just weeks after the surrender in Europe and just two months before the end of the war in the Pacific. Walter rose to the rank of Ship Fitter First Class, and was awarded the American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and Honorable Discharge Medal.
In 1945, Walter began a life away from the military, marrying the former Marion Dagle. They settled in Troy, later living in Valley Falls, and were married for 54 years, becoming parents to Kathleen, Robert, Kevin, Brian, twins Timothy and Thomas and a daughter Ann who sadly died as a child. Walter worked at the Norton Company in Watervliet and was a member of the Papermakers Local Union 17, eventually retiring from that job in 1983.
Walter’s military service may have ended but his service to the community was just beginning. Walter recounted that when he was younger, he spent some time in a youth home, and veterans came and provided special events and programs for the children.
Walter vowed as a child that if given the opportunity, he would return the favor. He became very active in the Lansingburgh Independent Baseball League and the Pop Warner Football, working for decades with both organizations, and receiving the Hall of Fame Award from the Independent Baseball League. He was eventually recognized by the New York State Assembly for years of advocacy to allow for revenues from the playing of bingo to be used to benefit non-profit organizations like youth and veteran groups.
He chaired bingo committees for both organizations to help raise needed funds. Active in the Disabled American Veterans Post, Walter transported veterans to the V.A. hospital for nearly forty years, coordinated food donations to the Little Sisters of the Poor for 10 years, and helped many other individuals and organizations. In fact, Walter was known to travel 8000 miles a year to volunteer for various organizations.
There is not enough time or space to list all the good done by Walter Larson during his life. His life was truly one of giving, compassion and service. It should be noted that all of these good works were done as Walter underwent numerous bone operations, raised eight children, cared for a wife suffering from a heart ailment and helped his mother-in-law, who was blind.
His efforts were recognized by the community. In 1989, County Executive John Buono awarded Walter the second annual Rensselaer County Veterans Citizenship Award.
Sadly, Walter Larson passed away on January 12, 2006. We remember his great service to our nation, serving on two fronts during World War II and helping defeat the forces of tyranny. We also recognize Walter for his service to the community following the war, and his great dedication to his fellow veterans and his family.