Navy Badge
  • Name: Eugene "Judda" Oscar Larson
  • Location of Birth: Coleraine, Minnesota
  • Date of Birth: December 15, 1915
  • Date of Death: June 28, 1994
  • Parents: Oscar Larson & Edna (Carlson) Larson
  • High School and Class: 1933 Greenway High School, Coleraine, Minnesota
  • College: Itasca Junior College, Coleraine, Minnesota
    University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota - Bachelor of Arts degree in history & business
  • Highest Rank:
  • Branch: Navy
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: January 24, 1944
  • Place Sworn In:
  • Date of Discharge: December 22, 1945
  • Place of Discharge:
  • Military Awards:

  • Military Highlights:
    WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
    State: Minnesota
    Name: Eugene Oscar Larson
    Race: White
    Age: 24
    Birth Date: December 15, 1915
    Birth Place: Coleraine, Minnesota, USA
    Residence Place: Coleraine, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
    Registration Date: October 16, 1940
    Employer: Oliver Iron Mining Co., Coleraine, Itasca, Minnesota
    Weight: 154
    Height: 6
    Complexion: Light
    Eye Color: Blue
    Hair Color: Brown
    Next of Kin: Edna Larson, mother, Coleraine, Itasca, Minnesota

    Newspaper article: May 1945 – “The Serviceman’s Club received a letter from Eugene Larson this week thanking them for his birthday gift and card. Eugene, known to almost everyone as “Judda” is on a destroyer somewhere in the South Pacific, and tells about swimming over the side of the boat protected by a sub machine gun in case of sharks or water snakes. He has been in the Philippines, and says the people there are mighty glad to see the Yanks. Judda is in the fire control division which has to do with care and maintenance of gun directors and guns. He says it was quite a thrill to press the firing key and send a few over to the Japs the first time, and also that we have the best equipment in the world and the Japs are feeling the sting of it.”

    Newspaper article: February 1946 – “Eugene Larson, who was discharged in December from the Navy, received a Certificate of Commendation from his ship, the USS Charles Ausburne, Destroyer 570, that they were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces. Mr. Larson served aboard this ship in the New Guinea, Philippine and Okinawa campaigns.”


  • Wars Involved:
    World War II

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:
    Eugene Larson married Phyllis Reed in Coleraine, Minnesota in 1941. He lived in Coleraine until moving to Duluth in 1962 and to Virginia in 1966. He worked for U.S. Steel Corp. for 47 years, retiring as the supervisor of its purchasing department in 1982. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Coleraine.

    Eugene died in Virginia, Minnesota and is buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Coleraine, Minnesota (Block 35). He is survived by his wife Phyllis; daughters, Deanna Norman and Daidre Thies; a brother, Don Larson; and five grandchildren.

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

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