Thomas Bernard Larkin – Lieutenant General, United States Army

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Courtesy of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum:

Major General Thomas B. Larkin
32th Quartermaster General
February 1946-March 1949

As Quartermaster General, Larkin launched the program for return and final burial of American service personnel and civilians who died overseas during World War II. He scheduled a progressive plan for extensive peacetime research and development by the Quartermaster Corps which was designed to benefit the armed forces.

Thomas B. Larkin was born in Louisburg, Wisconsin, in 1890 and graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1910. He entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, a year later and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in 1915.

Upon graduation from West Point, he was assigned to Washington, DC as a student officer at the Engineer School and in 1916 went to Mexico for duty with the 2nd Engineers. After returning to the United States he completed his course at the Engineer School,  graduating in 1917, and then attended American University in Washington, D.C.

In December 1917, he went to France and served first on the British Front. Later he took part in the Battle of the Marne, the Oise-Vesle Offensive, and the Battle of the Argonne. For his action in performing reconnaissance in the Marne area during July l918, he was awarded the Silver Star. Shortly before the close of  World War I, General Larkin went to  Chatillon-sur-Seine, France, as Director of the 2nd Corps Engineer School, a position in which he served until April 1919.

Returning to the United States in 1919, he was assigned as an instructor at the Engineer School, Camp Humphreys, Virginia, and the following year began a tour of duty in the Office, Chief of Engineers, in Washington, DC. From 1921 to 1923 he was assigned as Assistant Military Attaché,
American Embassy, Tokyo, Japan.. Upon returning to the United States he was assigned once again to the Office, Chief of Engineers, during which time he attended the Army Industrial College, graduating in 1927.

From 1928 to 1929 he attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. Then he served as Assistant and later the District Engineer at Vicksburg District, Vicksburg,Mississippi.

In 1937 he enrolled in the Army War College, Washington, DC. and a year later attended the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. There followed a tour of duty in the Panama Canal Zone where he served on the staff of the Governor of the Panama Canal Department.

General Larkin returned to the United States at the start of Wor1d War II, and in March 1942 was assigned to Headquarters, Army Air Forces in Washington, DC. The following May he went to the England to serve in Headquarters, Services of Supply. While the Allied Forces were preparing for the invasion of North Africa, General Larkin was named Commanding General of the Services of Supply, Mediterranean Base Sector. The following February he became Commanding General of Services of Supply, North African Theater of Operations and a year later was given the additional command of the Communications Zone, Mediterranean.Theater of Operations. For his efforts in supplying the combat troops he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. In November, 1944,
he assumed command of Headquarters, Southern Line of Communications, European Theater of Operations, France. For his work in this position he received an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Distinguished Service Medal.

After further service in the European Theater of Operations, General Larkin returned to the United States in October 1945, and was named Commanding General of the Second Service Command at Governor’s Island, New York.

In January 1946, he was named by President Truman to a four year tour of duty as Quartermaster General of the Army.

He subsequently retired as a Lieutenant General and died on October 17, 1968.  He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

NOTE: His wife was the daughter of William Manning Irwin, Commander, United States Navy.  His son, Harrison S. Larkin, First Lieutenant, United States Air Force, was killed in a 1950 jet aircraft crash.  His other son, Thomas B. Larkin, Jr., Lieutenant, United States Navy, is also buried in Arlington National Cemetery (see photo below).

tblarkin-gravesite-photo-01

LARKIN, THOMAS B

  • LGEN USA
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 12/15/1890
  • DATE OF DEATH: 10/17/1968
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 4270-H L

LARKIN, MARY IRWIN

  • 1892-1989
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 3 SITE: 4270-HL
  • WIFE OF LARKIN, THOMAS B, LG, USA

LARKIN, THOMAS B JR

  • LT   US NAVY
  • WORLD WAR II
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 08/30/1918
  • DATE OF DEATH: 03/06/2004
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 4269-H
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

tblarkinjr-gravesite-photo-november-2008-001 tblarkin

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