I’ve just received some great news. A wonderful think is happening as a result of my over-15-years of research for my and Mike Yorkey’s book, At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse.

Just today, I was notified that my father, MAJ (Ret) Philip B. Larimore, Jr., (3rd ID, 30th IR, 3rd BAT) was just chosen to be inducted into the 2025 Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Georgia.

The folks at OCS have confirmed that as far as the current records that are available show, he was the-only-ever 17 year old graduate of OCS, and thus is the youngest-ever-graduate of OCS. He was nominated by General David Petraeus, who was an early and enthusiastic supporter and endorser of the book (in fact, part of his endorsement is on the front cover).

The induction ceremony will be in March. What’s cool is that 2025 will be the 100th anniversary of Dad’s birth and the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe (VE-Day).

OTHER NEAT RECOGNITIONS:

• On August 1, 2023, the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division inducted Dad into their Marne Hall of Fame at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Dad was inducted along with General Marshall, General Eisenhower, General Ridgeway, and his two commanders, General O’Daniel, and General McGarr. Dad is one of only 30 men who have been inducted into this Hall of Fame. What a wonderful honor. My brothers and I were able to attend together along with our spouses and kids.
• Also, the LSU Military Museum in the LSU Memorial Tower in Baton Rouge opened a special exhibit honoring Dad in October, 2023. It was only scheduled to be there for a year an a half, but will be kept up indefinitely as it is the most popular exhibit at the museum (and a copy of the book is in the exhibit).

The awards that the book has received so far include:

• 2022 Silver Medalist for “Book of the Year” by the Military Writers Society of America;”
• 2023 Non-fiction “Book of the Year” by the International Page Turner Awards (London);
• 2023 “Book of the Year” in the Genre “True Stories” by the International Page Turner Awards (London);
• 2023 “Golden Author Award,” for old farts, by the International Page Turner Awards (London);
• 2023, One of only 10 books Featured Book at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans; and
• 2023, a “Featured Book” at the Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge.