"Jake" Larson enlisted in the Navy in 1952 age 17. He entered USNA in 1954, "flunked" in 1955, Jake reports, and joined USAF, as air-to-air missile tech. SSgt Larson entered OCS, Coca Flt in Sep 1960 and graduated in the top half of the class. Lt. Larson was assigned to Schilling AFB, KS; the first operational ICBM Sq (Atlas). In 1965, Jake went to Air Traffic School at Keesler followed by duty at Misawa AB, JP. In 1968, Capt. Larson attended Enroute ATC school and headed for SEA. He was chief controller at Danang, Quang Tri, Dong Ha and Hue Phu Bai, RVN. Jake suffered a couple of combat injuries but, "couldn't understand the fuss..." about it. While based in Viet Nam, Jake painted a history of the F-4 Phantom Squadron "Gunslingers" from all the aircraft flown from pre-WWII to present day at DaNang.  He also did the same for a SAR Squadron of Jolly Green Giants.  Jake also did a lot of paintings of Vietnamese people and his wartime experiences there.
In 1970, Jake returned stateside to Shaw AFB, SC as CO 5th Mobile Com Gp Sq (Det) and chief controller. Capt. Larson retired in 1973, divorced in 1976 and moved to Florida in 1980.
After the Air Force, Jake earned a degree in Psychology and "shrank heads for 8 1/2 years."  While working at South Carolina Baptist Hospital in Columbia, Jake continued to pursue his interest in painting as well as working with ceramics.  "I started carving mugs because I love a good mug of tea.  I couldn't find a mug large enough for less than $17, and that was very plain," says Larson.  He takes about four days of working time on each mug and a period of 16 to 24 hours of actual time on his watercolors.
Currently living in Sun City, Florida, he has not remarried and his "health is great!" Bill LaRock tells of a dispute Jake had "...with a Marine full-bull...cost Jake his Oak Leaves." Jake still does some painting, writing (book and poetry) and ceramics. He has 2 children. Jake tells us his door is never locked!

May 16, 2008
Jake sent us the following report of one of his "Combat injuries":

    The worst one, to me, was sustained in hand-to-hand combat.  I was asleep one night in Hue Phu Bai when this cockroach crawled into my ear and was trying to burrow it's way into my brain through my eardrum.  Obviously, this was a Viet Cong "Sapper" type cockroach and his attack was stealthy, skillful, dedicated, and of deadly intent.  Fortunately, the noise of his clawing at my eardrum (mind-boggling LOUD!) woke me and our "Give me no quarter-Take no prisoners" combat began.  He knew I was "ON" to him when I grabbed him by the "ankles" and tried to drag him out.  He fiercely resisted, dug his foreclaws and leg spurs in.  I couldn't budge him.  The best I could do was to hold his rear legs to keep him from advancing to finish his dastardly mission.  We struggled mightily in this way until I was able to make my way to the shower, turn the hot water on, direct it into my ear and drown the bastard!! I then went to the Army M.A.S.H. unit and one of the Drs. removed the corpse (or so I thought).  Three months later I went to the USAF flight surgeon at DaNang for my annual exam.  I told him of my "combat" and he checked my ear.  He looked and, swearing loudly, ordered a large syringe of soapy water.  As I held a small pan, he squirted hot soapy water into my ear.  Shortly, a huge mass dropped into the pan - THUNK! It was the body of the dead Viet Cong cockroach which had been encapsulated in ear wax!  I tried to apply for the Purple Heart for the combat wounded but the Flight Surgeon and my C. O. laughed themselves into hysterics and told me to forget it lest I become the object of ridicule.  I still, to this day, suffer from PTSD and "flashbacks" when I see a cockroach.
     I reflect on the sad, unfairness of it all - I get wounded and traumatized in the defense of my country and, rather than the respect and sympathy and recognition which I so well deserve (and $$ for disability), I get nothing but laughed at!!  You can well imagine how much I sympathize with Rodney ("I don't get no respect") Dangerfield.
     Please keep your laughter down to a dull roar lest my poor,beleaguered, psyche suffer further trauma!