05/30/07

I was born in the great north west of the United States to the Rev. John & Grace Larson. While I was still quite young we moved to Aurora Oregon. I started first grade in Aurora. After moving to Vancouver and Wenatchee Washington we ended up in Salem Oregon where I attended Waldo Jr. High school. While at Waldo I became the school photographer for the school paper and year book. I was on staff with the school paper with now famous architect Ron Ped of Salem.

In 1972 my father accepted a position with a church in Frackville Pa. Living on the east coast was sure a change. Since I loved US history this was an exciting time for me. To be able to visit historical sites such as Gettysburg, Washington DC, New Your city and many other places was thrilling. However Frackville and Shenandoah Pa. where I attended High School was not very favorable to outsiders.

In 1976 again my father accepted a position with a church in Johnson City New York where I graduated from High School and joined the Army. My first Sunday in our new church I met the drop dead gorgeous Karyl who would become my wife of 29+ years.

I went to Army basic training in Ft. Dix New Jersey and Military Police training in Anniston Alabama. I was quite a naive young guy. It was in Alabama in 1976 I first learned what racial prejudice was. I did not like it. I had been raised to love and respect all peoples regardless of race or religion. At Christmas I went home on leave and asked Karyl to marry me.

I finally received my assignment to Germany. I was assigned to a hawk missile battery (Air Defense Artillery) performing security duty with a bunch dope smoking KKK loving MP's whose heroes were the likes of David Dukes. What an awakening. I ended up working with the ARMY CID (Criminal Investigative Division) under cover doing drug enforcement. This was a dangerous and exciting job. After several months my cover was blown and I was transferred but not before having my life threatened several times and learning to sleep with my eyes open.

At my new duty station I went on leave back to upstate New York to wed The young an beautiful Karyl Clark. Two weeks later Karyl joined me in Germany. We became  members of a bible study group in the home of Lionel (Lucky) and Marlene Lyons in Bitburg Germany. The group out grew the Lyons home, we ended up in the Spangdahlem Air Force base chapel where we became known as the Spang Gang. We learned much and grew spiritually. We made many friends some of which we are still in touch with today.

After leaving the Army Karyl and I settled in up state New York. I was in and out of the US Army Reserves a couple of times. The last time was in 1990 when on January 3rd 1991 I was activated for Desert Storm, the first Gulf War.

My Army Reserve unit was the 402nd EPW MP Camp (Enemy Prisoner of War Military Police). We spent three and a half weeks training in Virginia before deploying to Saudi Arabia 25 miles from the Iraqi border. This was the adventure of a life time but no picnic. Our unit processed 23,000 Iraqi prisoners of war. The 402nd held the record for the most prisoners processed, the most prisoners processed in a 24 hour period and the most prisoners held at any one time. Much more could be said including many harrowing events but I will spare you the details.

Returning to the States Karyl and I sold everything we owned packed up the car and with the kids moved to Oregon. It has been 15 years this last August (2006) I have been back in Oregon. We have had some good times and a few bad. The remnants of war are still with me. Between my emotional and physical problems Karyl has hung in there and the Lord willing we will celebrate our 30th anniversary in the fall of 2007.

I am still fighting the VA over my level of disabilities which are now rated at 80%. The government does not make it easy for veterans to receive there earned benefits. In spite of it all I am proud to have served my country and if I were able physically and emotionally I would do it again.

For 21+ years I have been a computer network analyst. My ambition now is to make a living working in my wood shop making custom furniture and other one of a kind items. I do not expect to be rich or famous nor do I wish to be. I am content to make things of beauty from wood with my own hands which others will appreciate.

More to come.