Capt. Larry E. Larson
was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and entered the Navy in 1969 the
NROTC Program at Ohio State University. After graduation and commissioning
in 1973, he reported to Pensacola, Florida, for flight training
and received his wings in 1974.
Captain Larson’s first operational assignment was flying
the SH-3 Sea King with HS-4 at NAS Imperial Beach, California,
deploying aboard carriers USS KITTY HAWK and USS RANGER.
In 1978, Captain Larson was selected for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot
School and upon graduation, was assigned to the Rotary Wing Test
Directorate of the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland.
In May 1980, Captain Larson became the first Navy pilot to qualify
in the SH-60 Seahawk, subsequently flying more than 300 hours
of development tests both ashore embarked in USS McInerney (FFG-8).
Captain Larson was reassigned in 1982 to USS PELELIU (LHA-5)
as the Assistant Air Boss and Ship’s Safety Officer.
In 1983, Captain Larson joined HSL-41, the newly formed SH-60B
Fleet Replacement training squadron at NAS North Island, California,
serving as the Navy’s SH-60B NATOPS Model Manager and the
squadron's Aircraft Maintenance Officer as well as one of the
initial cadre of instructor pilots.
Captain Larson was subsequently assigned to the HSL-45 Pre-Establishment
Unit where he served as Officer-in-Charge of Detachment One aboard
USS BUNKER HILL (CG-52).
In 1987, Captain Larson joined the staff of the Chief of Naval
Operations in the Pentagon serving in the Office of the Assistant
CNO for Air Warfare. In 1989, he was selected as the first commanding
officer of HSL-49 which was formally established at NAS North
Island in March 1990.
Following squadron command, Captain Larson earned a Master’s
Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval
War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and was assigned in 1992
to NATO's southern headquarters, Allied Forces Southern Europe.
During the Sarajevo Crisis of 1994, Captain Larson oversaw the
first combat action in NATO's forty-five year history.
Captain Larson was reassigned in July 1994 to the faculty of the
Naval War College in Newport as Professor of Strategy and Executive
Assistant to the Department Chairman. In October 1996, he was
appointed to the Stephen B. Luce Chair of Naval Strategy.
He assumed command of U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in
April 1997.
Captain Larson is qualified as a Naval Aviator, test pilot and
parachutist, and is a plankowner in HSL-41, HSL-45, HSL-49 and
USS BUNKER HILL. His military awards and decorations include the
Defense Superior Service Medal, the NATO Medal, three Meritorious
Service Medals, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Navy Commendation
Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, two Humanitarian Service Medals
and various unit commendations including the Philippine Presidential
Unit Citation.