Jess Larson (June 22, 1904 – February 25, 1987) was an American lawyer who served as the first Administrator of General Services, the administrator of the

War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...

, and as chairman and president of the

Air Force Association The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, professional military association for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, its declared mission is ...

Early life

Jess Larson was born in

Mill Creek, Oklahoma Mill Creek is a town in Johnston County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 319 at the 2010 census, a decline from the figure of 340 in 2000.

, and he grew up in

Chickasha, Oklahoma Chickasha is a city in and the county seat of Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,036 at the 2010 census. Chickasha is home to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The city is named for and strongly connecte ...

. As a young man he helped run family ranching and dairy businesses in Chickasha. Larson attended high school at the

Missouri Military Academy The Missouri Military Academy (MMA) is a private preparatory school established on November 22, 1889, in Mexico, Missouri. The academy is a selective, all male, boarding school, grades 7 to 12. As a U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Trainin ...

Mexico, Missouri , image_skyline = Audrain County Missouri Courthouse.JPG , imagesize = 250px , image_caption = The Audrain County Courthouse in downtown Mexico. , image_flag = , image_seal = ...

. While attending the Missouri Military Academy, he enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard at age 16. He then went on to attend

University of Oklahoma , mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State" , type = Public research university , established = , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.7billion (2021) , pr ...

and the University of Oklahoma Law School. In college, Larson was in the ROTC, and he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Oklahoma National Guard in 1923. Two years after completing law school, Larson was elected as mayor of Chickasha. Larson studied law in a Chickasha law office, and in 1934 he moved with his wife to Oklahoma City where he began practicing law. Larson was admitted to the Oklahoma bar in 1935. From 1935 to 1939, he was secretary to the commissioners of the Oklahoma State Land Office.

Career

Larson was a member of the National Guard, and he was called into service as an artillery officer in the Army during

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 opposing ...

. He served in Italy and received the Legion of Merit and the

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

medals. Near the end of the war, he was ordered to Washington. In 1946, Jess Larson was appointed general counsel of the War Assets Administration, which was charged with disposing of surplus defense property. He became administrator of the

in 1947. In 1949, President Truman nominated him to head the

Federal Works Agency The Federal Works Agency (FWA) was an independent agency of the federal government of the United States which administered a number of public construction, building maintenance, and public works relief functions and laws from 1939 to 1949. Along wi ...

. Less than a month later, in July 1949, he was appointed the first administrator of the

General Services Administration The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. gover ...

, which had just been formed. He continued in that position until January 29, 1953. After leaving GSA, Larson established a private law practice in Washington. He was with the firm of Alvord and Alvord for many years and was of counsel to the firm of Stoel, Rives, Boley, Fraser and Wyse at the time of his death. In 1956 Larson was promoted to Brigadier General, Air Force Reserve and in 1961 he was promoted to Major General, Air Force Reserve. He retired as a Major General in March 1966 after having served five years in grade. From 1964 to 1971, Larson was president and chairman of the

. For this work the Air Force conferred on him its Exceptional Civilian Service Award. Larson was a member of the Oklahoma Aviation Hall of Fame, the Metropolitan Club, the Army & Navy Club and the National Democratic Club.

Personal life

Jess Larson's first wife, Germaine Moreau, died in 1964. He later married Zdenka Sokitch. Larson had two brothers: retired Army Col. Robert W. Larson of Springfield and K. P. Larson of Las Vegas. Jess Larson died in 1987 at the age of 82 and was buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

.Burial Detail: Jess Larson
– ANC Explorer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larson, Jess 1904 births 1987 deaths Administrators of the General Services Administration United States Army personnel of World War II Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Oklahoma Democrats People educated at Missouri Military Academy People from Johnston County, Oklahoma Recipients of the Legion of Merit University of Oklahoma alumni Truman administration personnel United States Army officers United States Air Force generals United States Air Force reservists