Duane S. "Pappy" Larson (October 27, 1916 – September 20, 2005) was a brigadier general in the North Dakota Air National Guard.
As a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot and flight commander, Larson flew 68 combat missions in the European Theater during World War II with the 8th Air Force.
Between 1947 and 1950, Larson helped introduce aerial crop spraying to North Dakota,[3] ran a local airport in Mott, North Dakota[1] and barnstormed local events, county fairs and air shows,[citation needed] while simultaneously participating with the Air Force Reserve Command.
[1] In 1951, Larson joined the North Dakota Air National Guard and served as the 178th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Commander.
[4] He flew the B-25, C-45, C-47, T-6, F-51, T-33, F-94 and F-89 for the North Dakota Air National Guard and was the squadron commander during the Cuban Missile Crisis when the 178th was activated to regular duty.