Signature: Lawley, William

Lawley, Jr. was born in Leeds, Alabama on 23rd August 1920. In 1938, he graduated from high school in Leeds. Lawley enlisted in the US Army Air Forces on 9 April 1942 and received his pilot's wings and Second Lieutenant's commission. He went to Europe that November as a B-17 pilot with the 364th Bomb Squadron (305th Bomb Group ) On February 20th 1944, he earned the nation's highest award for gallantry at the risk of his life during a bombing mission over occupied Europe. Coming off the target, he was attacked by approximately 20 enemy fighters, shot out of formation and his plane severely crippled. Eight crew members were wounded, the co-pilot was killed. one engine was on fire, the controls shot away, and then Lieutenant Lawley seriously and painfully wounded about the face. He was awarded the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor citation read, in part: '...Forcing the copilot's body off the controls, he brought the airplane out of a steep dive, flying with his left hand only. After the order to bail out had been given, one of the waist gunners informed Lieutenant Lawley that two crew members were so severely wounded that it would be impossible for them to bail out. With the fire in the engine spreading, the danger of an explosion was imminent. Because of the helpless condition of his wounded crew members, Lieutenant Lawley elected to remain with the ship and bring them to safety if it was humanly possible, giving the other crew members the option of bailing out. Enemy fighters again attacked but by using masterful evasive action, he managed to lose them. One engine again caught on fire and was extinguished. Lieutenant Lawley remained at his post, refusing first aid until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion caused by loss of blood, shock and the energy he had expended in keeping control of his plane. He as revived by the bombardier and again took over the controls. Coming over the English coast, one engine ran out of gasoline and had to be feathered. Another engine started to burn and continued to do so until a successful crash landing was made on a small fighter base.' Bill Lawley flew 14 combat missions before he was reassigned in June 1944. He returned to the United States in September 1944 where he remained in the Air Force and served in a variety of staff and command positions throughout his thirty year career. He was Assistant Air Attaché at the US Embassy in Brazil from 1951 to 1954 and commanded the 55th Air Refueling Squadron at Forbes AFB from 1955 to 1959. Lawley died in his home town of Montgomery, Alabama on June 1st 1999, at the age of 78.