LT. COL. STANLEY WILFRED LAU



Lt. Col. Stanley Wilfred Lau flew his last mission on February 7, 2011.



He was an Air Force career officer and fighter pilot with more than 22 years of service. His service career started on December 7, 1941 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While attending the University of Hawaii, he was called to active duty by the Hawaii Territorial Guard. He was later asked to apply and was accepted into the newly formed “Army Air Corps Cadet Program.” He completed his cadet training as a fighter pilot and was Commissioned a 2nd Lt.



His flying career began in Redding, California, and soon after was transferred to the African/European Theatre as a P-38 Lightning pilot. He was assigned to the famed 27th Fighter Squadron of the First Fighter Group in Foggia, Italy. During his time there, Stanley flew over 50 combat missions and was officially credited with destroying 4 German fighters and 3″ probable” in heavy air to air combat and two destroyed on the ground. In addition to his combat operations, his military career assignments entailed being the Director of Fighter Divisions; Director of Air Defense Plans of the Pacific Air Command; Director of Air Defense Operations for the Far East encompassing Japan, South Korea, and Okinawa where he not only developed the Japan Air Defense System but trained the ground and air personnel as well; and Director of Advance Space Research. He retired from the military in 1964.



Stanley returned home to Honolulu and embarked on his second career as an educator, School administrator, and Federal Grants and Applications Administrator for the State of Hawaii Department of Education. He retired from this mission in 1985.



Stanley loved the outdoors and was an avid sportsman and explorer. He loved camping and fishing with his children and grandchildren. His adventures took him across China retracing the early routes of Marco Polo, “shooting the rapids” of the Salmon River, rowing the length of the Colorado River in a wooden dory, and now, soaring the heights of Pilots Heaven.



Lt. Colonel Stanley Wilfred Lau is survived by his wife, Clara (Look); son Randall; daughters, Sandra (Cyrus Wong) Okamoto and Lotus (Charles) Seamster II; 7 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; sister, Fanny (Robert Wong); sister- in- law Daisy; nephews and nieces.



A celebration of his life will be held on March 11, at Diamond Head Mortuary. Visitation at 9:00 a.m.; services at 10:00a.m.; and internment at 1:00 p.m., Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe