30 May 2001 Steve, I held you in my arms as you left this world. I hold you now in my heart, my dreams, my soul. May God hold you now in his loving spirit and may you be eternally at peace. I love you and I miss you. HOO- RAAGH Your pal, Fragman From a brother in the field, Sgt R Matthews E-Mail address not available Please send current e-mail to the Contact Us Webmaster@VirtualWall.org

 

03 Sep 2002 For R. "Fragman" Matthews ... Although we don't yet have contact with Steve Larrabee's family, we know your loss ... He was our classmate in flight school ... He introduced us to Country Joe McDonald's "Fixin' to Die Rag" on those dirty green buses between stage fields and classrooms . . . A South Bay Surfer with a smile like that deserved a better ending ... We miss him too ... Contact us ... Fred Thompson (70-07 Ft Rucker, AL) "Shark 7", 174th AHC RVN 70-71 (deceased)

 

16 Mar 2004 Steve was a much loved brother and son. He was born in Portland, Maine, and moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1950 as his father, who was in the Navy, was stationed there. We moved to Costa Mesa in 1951 and lived there until 1964 when he moved with his father and brother Jeff to Laguna Beach. He lived In Laguna Beach until he went into the Army. The Irvine, California, address is his mothers. He loved life and lived it to the fullest. He left a lot of friends and family behind who will never forget him. From his brother, Jeffrey Allan Larrabee bidnez@aol.com

 

21 Mar 2004 My beloved son Steven. You have left this earth, but not my heart I see your picture and a rubbing of your name from the Wall every day. We place flowers every March,close to the 24th, on the alter and the song "Amazing Grace" is sung. You will never be forgotten. LOVE, DAD I moved to Washington in 1990. I would appreciate hearing from any one that knew my son. From his father, Orman G. Larrabee 26749 Border Way NE Kingston, WA 98346 360-297-8482 larrabeeof@comcast.net

 

29 May 2005 Dear Larrabee Family, It's been almost 34 years to the very day that Steve and I graduated from flight school. It was April 15th 1970, and it marked the culmination of 9 months of the most intense study and work that I had ever been through. We were excited to be where we were and we were proud to have made it to the finish line. Most of our training was over. We'd already completed instrument training and jet transition and were involved in the tactical end of air mobile operations. We were "super seniors" as they called Warrant Office Candidates that belonged to the next graduation class and we were the coolest of all the helicopter students in the entire United States Army. It was such a fabulous time for all of us. Most of the guys felt the same way. Everyone had a really great feeling about our accomplishments and for many of us, it was the single, most honorable and respectful thing we could have accomplished for ourselves and our families. We didn't have any reservations about what we had done or where we were going. I don't think any of us had any thoughts of being stationed in Germany or Hawaii, although we knew that there would be some going to Europe instead of Vietnam. Despite the risk and the uncertainty of it all, there wasn't a single man who wasn't thrilled to be where we were. Steve was certainly one of those guys. On one particular week end, Steve and I were restricted to the company area and forbidden to have any access at all to anything other than the barracks and the parking lot next to the barracks. At least there, we could buy a hogie and an ice cold coke. During that particular week end, we had a lot of time to burn. Steve played guitar and so did I, but I wasn't quite as good at it as he was. I'll never forget sitting on the bunks and strumming away. He taught me a Beatle song that was one of his favorites. It was called Rocky Raccoon. I can close my eyes and see the two of us, jamming away the week end. Before we knew what had happened, we'd graduated and were given leave. To my knowledge, all of us went home for a month with a package of orders for us to report to Travis Air Force Base in California for "Overseas Movement" as they called it then. Graduation day was the last time I ever recalled seeing Steve. I kept up with as many of the guys as I could, but I was sent to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade near Long Binh and so many of our other guys were spread out over the rest of the country. Five months after I arrived there, I was transferred to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment where I learned to fly the same mission as Steve. I started out flying gunships, but like Steve, I volunteered for Scouts and ended up flying the same helicopter type that he did. It was the Hughes OH-6. Anybody in Army Aviation would tell you that we were a breed unto ourselves. When you think of the entire Army Aviation program, whether you think of it in terms of what you see today or what went on in the very late 60's and early 70's, you have to know that we wrote the book. There was no Airmobile Division until we came along. When you think about Steve, you have to know that he was one of over 2,000 guys who wrote the book at a different level than guys like me or anyone else who came home. I can't imagine if you were ever in the military, but I'm certain that you've had relationships in your life where you were thankful of the friends you had or the people who surrounded you from time to time. Steve was that kind of kid. We were glad to have him with us and glad that he felt the same way about us. I can still see that smile on his face and see the little space between his teeth that made his smile so uniquely his. Fred Thompson, who has now left us, was another friend of Steve's. In the same sense that I mentioned above, we were glad to have him in our group as well. Cancer took Fred from us, and another member of our group has gone on. It's a tough thing, dealing with loss of a loved one. When I received a letter from Leah, Steve's observer's sister, I had a moment to reflect on all the things that we experienced all those years ago. When I thought about her questions and the thoughts she had about her brother's last moments on earth, I naturally thought about Steve. I can't help but tell you that he was absolutely one of the best pilots we had. No one wants to be left out in the cold, relative to searching, and never finding an answer about things like death, especially the death of a family member. I'm the same way. I wanted to know about the circumstances of the shoot down, until I heard that Steve was flying OH-6's. That's when I knew that neither of them suffered. It was just the nature of the mission ... always close to the ground, sometimes the closest to the enemy. Some of the guys refer to it as being the "Tip of the Sword" and we were that. Anyway you cut it, anyway you think about it, know this: If you had to go to battle, if you had to face the worst of the worst fears you could imagine, there's nothing better than having a guy who is a leader to help you along. Steve was that guy. We've all missed him and too many other guys that we'd gone through school with. One kid went all the way with me from the day I reported to the Army until the day we reported to Vietnam. I'll miss them all and I'll miss them for the remainder of my life. Gone too soon, but not gone without making a huge mark on all the lives of all the young guys that were around them. I'm proud to have known him and to have been in the "Brotherhood of the Realm" ... that uniquely structured Brotherhood that men who march to battle enjoy. God Bless you guys and know that I am very pleased to have been asked to write this small token of my recollections of Steve for you. Regards, Timothy L. Butler Sr (Tim) Former Chief Warrant Officer and classmate of Steve's 1969-70 E-mail address is not available.

 

14 Apr 2007 Steve, It was unreal being at the spot where you and Smith left this earth. I said a prayer and I know y'all could hear me and this week this story will be on the local news and on it's way to national news. I hope to take the 30 hours of film of my trip to Washington state to let your father watch it. Steve, I know my father has missed you all these years along with everyone else. Steve, I'm going to make it where no one will ever forget that day in March 1971. Your spirit will live forever and I want to thank you for an incredible trip. I'll be back again but hopefully next time with my father and a stone monument to be placed in the spot so years from now people will not forget the hurt of wars and the loss of Loved ones and best friends. Talk to you later, man - Carlton My father flew with Steve in E and F Troops. L. Carlton Walker-Cross 215 East Bay Street, Suite 403h lcarltonwalker@hotmail.com

 

Two men of F Troop, 1st of the 9th Cavalry, died in the crash of their OH-6A LOACH (hull number 68-17322): Pilot CW2 Steven Michael Larrabee Observer SP4 William David Smith The following information was compiled by Leah Angers , SP4 Smith's sister, from the Recommendation for the Silver Star for WO1 Steven M. Larrabee submitted by Captain Gary F. Eacott and from the Daily Staff Journal of Major Robert E. MacDonald, MI G-2-OPNS OFF. "On 24 March 1971, WO1 Steven M. Larrabee was the pilot in command of an F Troop OH-6A which was acting as the scout aircraft on a "Sniffer" mission in the Tinh Long Khanh Province (near FSB Silver YT 829-043). The time of day was 1100 hours, the weather was clearing after a morning rain shower, and the terrain was gently rolling hills with 150' to 200' trees. The mission was being run independently of any friendly troops in the area of interest. WO1 Larrabee was flying at tree top level about 100 meters to the left rear of the UH-1H which had the sensing equipment. As the LOH was making a pass over a large enemy bunker complex, WO1 Larrabee called out on the radio that he had spotted an individual on the ground wearing green shirt and shorts, and holding an AK-47. He immediately made a tight right hand turn to engage the enemy soldier with his door gunner's (SP4 George T. Diggs) M-60. At this time the observer (SP4 William D. Smith) had spotted and began to engage several other armed individuals from his side (left) of the aircraft. In spite of intense enemy return fire, WO1 Larrabee manuvered his aircraft in order to draw fire away from the "Sniffer" UH-1H aircraft. As the LOH was making another pass over the area, laying down suppressive fire, it was caught in a lethal crossfire of AK-47 and was simultaneously hit by a B-40 rocket. The LOH went into a violent spin, smashed through the jungle canopy and burst into flames upon impact with the ground in Tinh Binh Tuy Province (YT 836-066). Medivac from the 24th Evac at Long Binh was called at 1105. Blues were inserted at 1130. On insertion, one of the Blues sprained his back and possibly broke his jaw and was medivaced to FSB Mace YT 595-080). At 1205, the bird was reported as a combat loss, with all crew members extracted and injured, but not killed. At 1306, WO1 Steven M. Larrabee and SP4 William D. Smith were reported KIA and SP4 George T. Diggs as WIA. SP4 George T. Diggs was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroic efforts in defending the crew of the "Sniffer" aircraft as well as his comrades aboard the LOH. Both WO1 Steven M. Larrabee and SP4 William D. Smith received, posthumously, the Silver Star for gallantry in action."

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