John V. Larson
Bio
John V. Larson was born in Victoria County, Texas, in 1928 and graduated from Victoria High School in 1945. In 1946, he joined the U.S. Navy and served in a Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) in San Diego until 1949. After a brief discharge, he attended Victoria Junior College. However, in April 1950, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he trained in engineering for a Military Occupation Specialty (MOS). He was then transferred to Fort Walters, Texas, and reassigned to a special U.S. Air Force unit known as SCARWAF (Special Company Army Regular with Air Force). Serving in Company B, Larson worked on mine removal, infrastructure repair, and training personnel. His unit operated from Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, a former U.S. Air Force base located about fifty miles outside Paris, France, supporting post–World War II recovery efforts.
Video Clips
Rebuilding Europe During the Korean War
In 1950, John V. Larson was deployed not to Korea, but to Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base near Paris, France. There, he actively removed mines, repaired bombed runways, and built touchdown strips across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland. Additionally, he vividly recalls witnessing the crematorium pits left at Nazi death camps during his service.
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U.S.-France Relations During the Korean War
John V. Larson highlights the importance of guard duty while managing leftover World War II equipment. He recalls the racial integration of the military as many African-Americans joined previously all-white units in Europe. Furthermore, he explains why U.S. troops faced challenges getting assistance from the French when their vehicles broke down on local roads.
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The Leftovers of War
John V. Larson recalls that when compared to other bombed-out areas of Europe, it seemed that there was not much destruction in Paris, France. He describes seeing places that were demolished, and other nearby places such as cathedrals, historical areas, and key cities that were never touched by bombing. He recalls feeling fortunate to be stationed where he was because he knew the combat equipment in Korea was not very good.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBrFwpj4j4g&start=987&end=1229
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/john-v-larson#clip-3
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