Lawrence E. "Larry" Vian

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Lawrence Vian Obituary

Name: Visitation for Lawrence E. "Larry" Vian
Start: 2025-02-18T10:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-02-18T11:00:00.000Z
Location: Van Hoe Funeral Home

Vian, Lawrence "Larry" E.

Lawrence "Larry" E. Vian, 76, of Silvis, IL, passed away Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at Harmony, Davenport, Iowa. Arrangements: Van Hoe Funeral Home, East Moline.

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Published by The Rock Island Dispatch Argus on Feb. 15, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Lawrence Vian

Sponsored by Van Hoe Funeral Home and Crematory - East Moline.

1 Entry

Phil Phillips

February 28, 2025

to the family of Larry Vian,

I met Larry in February 1970 when I walked aboard the USS Graham County (LST 1176); we were both Radarmen, he was a 3rd Class Petty Officer and I was a Seaman. Three weeks later we left for a 6 month cruise to the Med. Shortly before we left Larry became a father, he left that child behind to serve on the ship and to serve his country. That separation weighed heavily on his mind during the cruise. Larry became the lead RD about 2 months into the cruise when 2 RD´s were called home on emergency leave, their fathers had died. That left only 3 of us RD´s to do the work of 5 and to stand the watch of 5. For the three of us it was a time of growth and learning the job of sailors and radarmen. We were able to accomplish the work in no small part because of Larry´s leadership.

In 1971 we made a cruise to Diego Garcia a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. After 5 trips to carry equipment from Mauritius to Diego Garcia we traveled the rest of the way around the world. That trip was a unique experience for an LST. The LST is an unseaworthy ship, it has a flat bottom, hollow interior, and Graco was over 15 years old. In the words of our Captain (E.W. Colbert) "...this (cruise) has to be the most unique in the long history of the LST. To the best of my knowledge the Graham County was the first LST to circumnavigate the globe....one of the very few to visit both the east and west coast of Australia as well as New Zealand. And it was certainly one of the very few ships ever to steam over 41,000 miles and complete a six and a half month deployment without the assistance of a tender or other US Navy repair facility."

At the time we didn´t think much about what we had accomplished. But as I reflect back on it now I realize how remarkable it was. I often wonder why the Navy allowed us to do it. I imagine the Captain had something to do with that but also the fact that the Navy was preoccupied with the war in Vietnam. Whatever the reason, it doesn´t diminish what we accomplished, nor the bravery and audacity to do it.

In 1972 we converted the Graco from an LST to a small boat tender. We did that work in the Philadelphia shipyards. That was a demanding and exhausting job. We worked many long hours reworking CIC (where we worked, modernizing it) and chipping and painting all of the RD spaces including the radar mast. Larry was a big part of that work, he was able to obtain modern radar equipment (somewhat without authorization but to the benefit of the ship and it´s mission).

After that conversion the ship went to Guantanamo Bay Cuba for training. Cuba in July is rather hot! That training was a time of long hours, constant stress and sleepless nights. It was grueling. We returned home in August and most of the ship transferred. Larry was close to his separation date; John and I were sent to the USS John King. Our ties for a time were broken. We all eventually returned home and went on with our lives.

The navy was a great experience for me and I´m certain for Larry. Sometime in the last 10 years we were able to reconnect because of Facebook. In June 2019 I visited him in Silvis (a bike ride ended in Bettendorf and I went across the river to see him). I remember he was in his garage, looking at his computer and sleeping when I walked in. We had a great conversation, laughing, reminiscing and just being together after a long separation. After that, maybe that summer or the next, 4 of us got together in Silvis. Larry, Ski (a radioman), John (a radarman) and I got together. We were all members of the Graham County, finally after nearly 50 years, together again. We had a great time, talking, laughing, and just being together.

I´ve often said, shipmates are friends forever, time and distance will never break that bond!

I last saw Larry last fall in the hospital in Iowa City. He was hoping to recover enough to return home. Unfortunately that did not work out.

I consider Larry one of my best friends. HIs death leaves a hole in my heart. You have my sympathy and prayers. Larry was a great friend, a great guy, and a great shipmate.

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