William Edward Lawson Jr.

At  28, Bill Lawson was the oldest Seaholm graduate to serve and pass away in Vietnam. He also went through the Officer program where he graduated 3rd in his class out of 126. He became a 2nd Lt. at the Fort Still OCS program. He is buried at the Franklin Cemetery

Fort Still Oklahoma, where Lawson attended Officer school

         William E Lawson Jr., from Royal Oak, Michigan, H&S Bttry, 4-42nd FA, was KIA 20 Apr 1967 

                                   while assigned as an FO with the 3rd Armored Cav (ARVN).

                                                                   MILITARY DATA

Service: Army of the United States
Grade at loss: O2
Rank: First Lieutenant
MOS: 1193: Field Artillery Unit Commander
Length Service: 06
Unit: HQ & SVC BTRY, 4TH BN, 42ND ARTILLERY, 4TH INF DIV, USARV

CASUALTY DATA
Start Tour: 07/23/1966
Incident Date: 04/20/1967
Casualty Date: 04/20/1967
Age at Loss: 28
Location: Pleiku Province, South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
Casualty Detail: Gun or small arms fire

Panel 18E Line 053

1LT Lawson served with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 42nd Artillery, 4th Infantry Division. He was attached to the 3rd ARVN Cavalry

as a Forward Observer on an operation in the Ia Drang Valley and was killed when his tank was hit by a rocket propelled grenade 

                                                                    The Ia Drang Valley in 1967

Bill Lawson was my OCS classmate and fellow member of the 4th ID at Ft. Lewis and Vietnam. He was a funny guy in OCS who cracked up the other members of our platoon in Artillery OCS Class 3-66 at Fort Sill. We were together from Sept. 1965 to Feb. 1966. I think his wife used to bring his polished boots and brass to him after dark in the OCS back parking lot, that's because he was a former NCO who knew how to make the system work! He was a great teacher to the majority of us in OCS who hadn't been in the Army very long. I saw him in his quarters at Ft. Lewis. I think he had two young children who he loved very much. In Vietnam he was sent on a temporary patrol in the Ia Drang valley with the ARVN Cav. I was supposed to replace him two days before the end of the patrol, but he elected to stay the last couple of days with the patrol because he knew the terrain and the troops. The second to last day of the patrol he was killed in an ambush. It was a loss felt thoughout the division headquarters. I tell his story to high school classes I teach as they learn about Vietnam. I cry every time. I take student groups to Washington every spring. When we approach The Wall I stand on a park bench and tell them about Bill Lawson. Many of them have taken rubbings of his name. His dedication and selfless service are remembered by hundreds of American school children every year and Bill Lawson is a soldier who means patriotism and devotion to them. - Dean Phillips

"A TRIBUTE TO A FALLEN OCS COMRAD AND FRIEND BILL, HERE I AM AT FT SILL OKLAHOMA WHERE WE ALL WERE BAPTISED FIELD ARTILLERY AND MEMBERS OF THE OFFICER'S CORPS. I CAN STILL SEE YOUR DEVILISH GRIN TURNING INTO A BIG SMILE AS YOU WOULD GREET OLD FRIENDS. "MAGIC BILL" WE USE TO CALL YOU BECAUSE YOU COULD ALWAYS COME UP WITH AN EASIER WAY TO DO A SWEAT DETAIL AT OCS. I REMEMBER IN VIET NAM WHEN YOU SENT OUT THE DONUT DOLLY TO MY FIRE SUPPORT BASE ON MY BIRTHDAY. SHE BROUGHT A BIG CAKE AND ICE CREAM (A REAL TREAT) AND SHE ENTERTAINED ALL THE TROOPS TOO. THEY REALLY THOUGHT I WAS SOMEBODY TO RATE SUCH A BIRTHDAY. I REMEMBER HEARING THE MORTOR ROUNDS AND THE ARTILLERY ROUNDS WHEN YOU FOUGHT YOUR LAST BATTLE 14 CLICKS SOUTH OF OUR LOCATION. I HEARD YOUR LAST FIRE MISSION AND CRIED WHEN ALL WENT SILENT. WE RUSHED TO YOUR LOCATION IN THE EARLY MORNING BUT YOU AND YOUR BRAVE COMRADS WERE ALL DEAD. I HELPED ID YOU AND MY FORMER BRAVE RECON SGT AND CRIED MORE. I FINALLY VISITED THE WALL AND TOUCHED YOUR NAME AND ALL THESE MEMORIES FLOWED THROUGH ME. REST WELL.YOU AND YOUR BRAVE DEEDS ARE NOT FORGOTTEN NOR IS YOUR SACRIFICE."

YOUR CLASSMATE OF 3-66 FA OCS MAJ RET ROBERT T FLOCKOI, RADIO CALL SIGN "SNAGGLE TOOTH"

The Decorations of Hero William Lawson, clearly one of the most decorated and highest regarded Seaholm                Graduates 

               

An article about LT William E. Lawson in Vietnam from the 

The Tacoma News Tribune And Sunday Ledger

Sunday October 30, 1966

  To the left are postcards from Fort Lewis, Washington circa 1960s, where Lawson was stationed  with the fourth infantry until it was sent to Vietnam in the summer of 66.

"Bill was attached to the 3rd ARVN Cav as an Arty FO. He was with me in April 1967 when we went on an operation in the Ia Drang Valley. Bill was killed when his tank was hit by an RPG. " - Tom Stewart


ONE OF MICHIGAN'S FALLEN SONS

"Today we honor WILLIAM EDWARD JR LAWSON and the ultimate sacrifice he made for our country. Rest in peace William and know you are not forgotten." - Fellow Michigander

Above are original 1960s postcards of Dothan Alabama. This is the town where his wife Elizabeth Cres, stepson Calvin and daughter Denise lived. 

 

Bill Lawson worked as a PA announcer at Seaholm athletic events. He also worked as a statistician for the journalism department 

 

A couple of friends congratulate Bill as he crosses the finish line first for the seniors in the barrel race. 

Above is a tremendous article written in a local newspaper shortly after his death. In it is a direct quote from Lawson about the war via a letter he sent to his mother on October 29, 1966. This letter was only 3 months into his tour, it is evident that he realized the effects of the war very quickly.