YUMA — The Yuma Proving Ground community is mourning the loss of one of their own.
Technical Director Larry Bracamonte passed away on Saturday, August 17th after a battle with cancer, military officials say.
Bracamonte had worked at YPG since 1987, and served as the highest ranking civilian since 2018.
“Larry's leadership, extensive experience, and unwavering dedication to the YPG mission have been truly inspirational,” said Col. John Nelson, YPG Commander. “His passion and commitment have left an indelible mark on our organization at all levels.”
According to the YPG Public Affairs Office, Bracamonte was born in Yuma, and his father also was an employee at YPG.
Bracamonte graduated from Yuma High School in 1981, and attended the University of Arizona and majored in mechanical engineering.
“As a kid, I had a passion for shooting rockets and coming up with contraptions that did things,” Bracamonte said in a 2018 interview. “One of my friends’ dad would buy old cars in various states of disarray, and helping him fix those cars while I was in high school taught me a lot.”
He returned home in 1987 and started working at YPG testing tank ammunition.
“My plan was to make a little money, stay a year or two, and then move on somewhere else,” Bracamonte recalled. “But when I actually started working here, it was very exciting and challenging. I really, really liked the job, and stayed.”
