Willard James Lawrence
Military
Object Number - UPL 25674 - Lt. Colonel Willard Lawrence
Willard Lawrence was born on Jul. 12, 1921 in Jamestown, North Dakota, USA. His career included thirty years active duty in the United States Air Force, serving in three wars (WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War) as a pilot and later as a comptroller, he retired in 1972 as a Lt. Colonel.
Among his many medals are the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters.
He died on Jan. 2, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas, USA and is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
See more at: http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lawrence&GSfn=Willard…;
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35652655
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37536427
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Lower Ball Turret Gunner/Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O 717 475
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Due Back
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Blanco Diablo
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Swanee Pride
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ground Pounder
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Shack Happy
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
Missions
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Memorial
- Known as: Rattlesden Control Tower
- Site type: Memorial
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Jamestown, ND, USA | 12 July 1921 | |
|
Died |
San Antonio, TX, USA | 2 January 2015 |
Revisions
Edited by granddaughter
Timothy Motz, from 447th loading lists
Timothy Motz, from 447th loading lists
Timothy Motz; from a list kept by Harold Motz and compared to Doyle Shields, "History of the 447th Bomb Group."
Timothy Motz; from list kept by Harold Motz, compared to Doyl Shields, "History of the 447th Bomb Group"
Timothy Motz
correction to rank in 1944 by Timothy Motz
middle name corrected by Timothy Motz
Additional source: http://www.porterloring.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1491771
Timothy Motz from findagrave.com
Timothy Motz from findagrave.com
Timothy Motz, from notes on a crew photo from Harold Motz, 2016
Timothy Motz from crew photo of Harold Motz
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit History Roster as of 01 August 1945
