Walter Ralls Lawson, Jr. – Colonel, United States Army

From a contemporary press report:

Walter Ralls Lawson, 84, died on January 31, 1999 in Orlando, Florida.

Colonel Lawson was born in Birmingham, Alabama on December 7, 1914 and grew up in Kissimmee, Florida, the son of Captain Walter Lawson, Army Air Service. He was a 1937 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Colonel Lawson served 30 years in the US Army, including posts in the United States, Germany and the Far East. He received a Bronze Star for his courageous command of the 809th Tank Destroyer Battalion in World War II. He was Senior Military Advisor to the 2nd Republic of Korea Army in the early 60’s. His last assignment was the consolidation of the First and Second U.S. Armies at Fort Meade, Maryland, for which he received the Legion of Merit. He received a Masters degree in Personnel Administration from George Washington University in 1966.

Colonel Lawson was appointed Superintendent of Streets for the City of Orlando in 1972, and served in that position until his retirement in 1983.

He was an ardent golfer and a long time summer resident of Tupper Lake, New York

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Janet of Orlando; his brother, Thomas (USMA ’41) of Brewster, Massachusetts; one son, Walter III of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and six daughters, Janet, Betty Dooley, Linda and Celeste of the Washington, D.C. area, Anne of Denver, Colodado and Patricia Haberich of Paris, France; and eight grandchildren, Kirsten, Christopher, Chad, Katherine, Max, Alexander, Emma and Kerry.

Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at the Fort Myer Chapel on Tuesday, February 9, 1999 at 8:45 a.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

LAWSON, WALTER RALLS

• COL   US ARMY
• DATE OF BIRTH: 12/07/1914
• DATE OF DEATH: 01/31/1999
• BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 4558-B
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

LAWSON, JANET

• DATE OF BIRTH: 06/20/1913
• DATE OF DEATH: 03/01/2008
• BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 4558-B
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
• WIFE OF LAWSON, WALTER RALLS  COL   US ARMY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard