A sad chapter in our family life concerns our son Tom. He enlisted in the armed services, Mountain Infantry, in 1941. His first training was at Fort Lewis, Washington. Later he had training at Fort Ord, California. In the summer of 1943, he went with his Regiment to Kiska, in the Aleutian islands, where he was encamped for several months. Fortunately, there was no engagement with the Japanese, who had vacated the island before the arrival of the Americans. Returning from Kiska in late 1943, he was stationed for a few months at Camp Hale, Colorado. During his stay at this Fort, he made several visits with us in Salt Lake. In late 1944, he was encamped in Texas. Near the end of the year he was shipped with the 2nd Army to Italy. He was killed in action on Mt. Belvedere on the date of February 20, 1945. (One day before his 24th birthday) He was buried in Italy until his remains were sent home and interred in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery in March of 1949. While stationed in Texas, Tom married Juana Marie Broussard of Austin. After he went overseas, she came to reside with us for about twenty three months, at the end of which time she was married to Claudius A. Banks of Vernal, Utah. Tom was a sergeant in the 85th Mountain Infantry, 10th Division.
Taken from writtings of Louis W. Larsen---Father of Tom