Claude A. Larkin
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Claude Arthur Larkin (June 21, 1891 – November 2, 1969) was a
United States Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
with the rank of
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
.


Early life and career

Claude A. Larkin was born in
Garfield, Washington Garfield is a city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 597 at the 2010 census, down from 641 in 2000. History Garfield was founded in the early 1880s by Samuel J. Tant, who named the town after James A. Garfield, ...
, on June 21, 1891. Larkin enlisted in the Marine Corps on December 21, 1915. He was first assigned to the USS ''Oklahoma'' and was present when the ship was commissioned. He soon attended Officer Candidates School and was commissioned as a
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
on July 6, 1917. Larkin was stationed in
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
during the
Sugar Intervention The Sugar Intervention refers to the events in Cuba between 1917 and 1922, when the United States Marine Corps was stationed on the island. Background When conservative Cuban president Mario García Menocal was re-elected in November 1916, libera ...
from 1917 to 1918. He did not see combat in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, which was the reason he enlisted. In the 1920s, he was stationed in
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
. He later was aboard the USS ''Chaumont'' and went to
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
in 1927, staying there until 1929. On April 6, 1930, he graduated from flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. He was then stationed in the
Virgin Islands The Virgin Islands ( es, Islas Vírgenes) are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. They are geologically and biogeographically the easternmost part of the Greater Antilles, the northern islands belonging to the Puerto Rico Trench and St. Croix ...
, and later attended additional training at
Maxwell Field Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
in
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. He also attended the
Navy War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...
in
Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
.


Pearl Harbor

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
Larkin was eventually given command of
Marine Aircraft Group 21 Marine Aviation and Training Support Group 21 (MATSG-21) is a United States Marine Corps aviation training Group (air force unit), group that was originally established in 1922 as the 2nd Aviation Group. During World War II the unit was known as ...
at
Marine Corps Air Station Ewa Marine Corps Air Station Ewa (MCAS Ewa) was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located west of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The base was hit during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and later served as the hub for all Mar ...
, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, Larkin was driving to the airfield when the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
commenced. Larkin's vehicle was strafed by Japanese aircraft twice on the road outside the airfield. Despite these close calls, he arrived at the airfield unscathed and discovered all of the aircraft had been destroyed. He began organizing the defenses when he was strafed a third time and was wounded in the hand, leg and foot. He refused medical attention and continued directing the defenses. Larkin was promoted to
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
after the attack, followed by a promotion to
brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in October 1942. In November 1943, he was awarded the
Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
for his service as the senior naval aviator present for the Marines during the first eight months of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.


Later service and life

From December 1943 to April 1944, Larkin was appointed as the commanding general of the
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, California and provides the aviation combat el ...
. Larkin was promoted to
major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
and held command of Marine Fleet Air, West Coast, from March to July 1945. He served as the commanding general of the
1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Activ ...
from August 11 to October 31, 1945. Larkin was promoted to lieutenant general and subsequently retired from the Marines on March 1, 1946, after more than 30 years of service. Claude A. Larkin died at the Air Force Base Hospital in
Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...
on November 2, 1969.


See also

* List of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing commanders


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larkin, Claude A. 1891 births 1969 deaths Attack on Pearl Harbor Aviators from Washington (state) United States Marine Corps generals United States Marine Corps World War II generals People from Whitman County, Washington American military personnel of the Banana Wars Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I