Every so often, a person comes along whose life is a model of distinction and whose accomplishments are truly inspiring and extraordinary. Vice Admiral William Lawrence is just that kind of example – a true American hero.
A native of Nashville, VADM Lawrence graduated first in his class at West High School and was President of the Student Body, a ranking officer in the ROTC, All-City in football, All-State in basketball, a member of the state championship basketball team, state boy’s tennis champion and a recipient of the coveted William Hume Award.
Lawrence attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he played three varsity sports and ranked 8 out of 725 academically and served as Class President, Commander of the Brigade of Midshipmen, and led the establishment of the present-day Brigade Honor Concept. VADM Lawrence became the first Naval Aviator to fly twice the speed of sound in a Navy airplane, was among the final 32 candidates for the Project Mercury astronaut program, and was called the “ablest flyer, all things considered, that Pax River (Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, MD) ever produced.”
While Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 143, he was shot down over North Vietnam in June 1967 and held as a Prisoner of War until March 1973. He was awarded the Silver Star for his selfless courage and the Distinguished Service Medal, the country’s third highest military award, for his inspirational leadership of fellow POWs.
During his imprisonment, VADM Lawrence composed a poem entitled “Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee”, the official poem of the State of Tennessee. VADM Lawrence’s military decorations include: 4 Distinguished Service Medals, 3 Silver Stars, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star with Combat V, 2 Purple Hearts, 3 Air Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and 2 Navy Commendation with Combat V. Among his many honors, the Nashville Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame established the William P. Lawrence Award, given annually to the outstanding football scholar-athlete.
In 1979, he received the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Gold Medal, the foundation’s highest honor. And in 1982, the Naval Academy established the Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence Award, a sword given annually to the most outstanding woman athlete. In 1984, he received both the NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award (the association’s highest honor) and the Liberty Bowl’s Distinguished Citizen Award.