Charles Robert Larson (November 20, 1936 – July 26, 2014) was an

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

Military career

A 1958 graduate of the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

, Larson twice served as Superintendent of the

U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is the sec ...

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

. He also served as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command (CINCPAC). After graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958, Larson reported to NAS Pensacola,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, to enter flight training. Upon his completion, as a

Naval Aviator Naval aviation / Aeronaval is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. It often involves '' navalised aircraft'', specifically designed for naval use. Seaborne aviation encompas ...

, he reported to Attack Squadron 176 (VA-176) aboard the aircraft carrier , where he served until April 1963 in flying the A-1H Skyraider. Opting to leave Naval Aviation and to transfer to the Submarine Service, he commenced nuclear power training in 1963 and then reported to the , where he qualified in submarines. His next tours of duty were on and . He was the first naval officer selected as a White House Fellow and served his fellowship in 1968 as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. From 1969 to 1971, he served as Naval Aide to the President of the United States. He reported back to sea duty as executive officer of the nuclear attack submarine . Then from 1973 to 1976, he served as commanding officer of the nuclear attack submarine . In 1976, Larson assumed duties as Commander, Submarine Development Group ONE in San Diego, California, in which he headed the Navy's worldwide deep submergence program. He was promoted to four-star rank in February 1990 upon being assigned as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, the Navy component commander in the Pacific Theater. After one year in the position, he was nominated by the President, and assumed duties, as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command.

Awards and decorations

*Larson has also been decorated by the governments of Japan, Thailand, France and Korea.

Civilian career

Larson was a founder, director and chairman of the board of ViaGlobal Group. , he also served on the Board of Directors of

Northrop Grumman Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense company. With 97,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $40 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military technology provi ...

and the Board of Esterline Corporation. He also served on three corporate boards in the fields of electrical power generation and distribution, oil exploration and production and international service and construction. In 2002, after switching parties to become a Democrat, Larson ran unsuccessfully for

Lieutenant Governor of Maryland The lieutenant governor of Maryland is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the Government of Maryland, state government of Maryland in the United States. The officeholder is elected on the same ticket as the governor of ...

, on the ticket with Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Larson became an Eagle Scout in 1950 and as an adult was a recipient of the

Distinguished Eagle Scout Award The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA) is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It is awarded to an Eagle Scout who has achieved extraordinary national-level recognition, fame, or eminence within their profession ...

from the

Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...

. His public service boards include the National Academy of Sciences Committee on International Security and Arms Control, The White House Fellows Foundation, The Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland, The Board of Trustees of the Anne Arundel Health System, Board of Directors of The Atlantic Council and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the US Naval Academy Foundation. Larson McCain graves

Larson and his wife, Sally, lived in Annapolis, where he died on July 26, 2014, as a result of pneumonia, after being afflicted with

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...

for two years. He was interred at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery. Larson had reserved four plots at the Academy cemetery for himself, his classmate and close friend Senator

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

, and their wives. McCain died on August 25, 2018 (at the age of 81), and was buried on September 2 in the plot next to Larson; the admiral's widow Sally remarked that "Chuck has his wingman back now".

Awards

Larson's civilian awards include: * Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary International’s highest award for public service). * VFW National Armed Forces Award (1998) * Navy League’s Annual Leadership Award (1998) * “All American Citizen” by the city of Omaha, Nebraska * Omaha North High School Vikings of Distinction * The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association’s Distinguished Graduate Award

References

External links