JOHN T. LAWLER, LT, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
John Lawler '59

Date of birth: January 31, 1937

Date of death: August 13, 1964

Age: 27

Lucky Bag

From the 1959 Lucky Bag:

1959 Lawler LB.jpg

JOHN T. LAWLER

Longview, Washington

Twenty-third Company

John attended Oregon State College for one year before entering the Naval Academy and continued his high academic standing by wearing his stars proudly. During the football season, he was one of the hard-running backs on the Sixth Battalion football team. He was a member of the varsity track squad during the winter and spring months and was one of Navy's top sprinters. Extracurricular-wise, John was a member of the Russian Club, Trident Magazine Staff and was the Sixth Battalion representative to the Class Crest and Ring Committee. Naval aviation gains John's nod for the future.


He was also Company Commander of 23rd Company (fall) and a member of the Brigade Hop Committee.

1959 Lawler LB.jpg

JOHN T. LAWLER

Longview, Washington

Twenty-third Company

John attended Oregon State College for one year before entering the Naval Academy and continued his high academic standing by wearing his stars proudly. During the football season, he was one of the hard-running backs on the Sixth Battalion football team. He was a member of the varsity track squad during the winter and spring months and was one of Navy's top sprinters. Extracurricular-wise, John was a member of the Russian Club, Trident Magazine Staff and was the Sixth Battalion representative to the Class Crest and Ring Committee. Naval aviation gains John's nod for the future.


He was also Company Commander of 23rd Company (fall) and a member of the Brigade Hop Committee.

Loss

John was lost on August 13, 1964 when the fighter he was piloting crashed into the Pacific Ocean near San Clemente Island, California.

Other Information

From Redlands Daily Facts on August 19, 1964:

SAN DIEGO (UPI) - Coast Guard authorities late Tuesday called off a search for a Navy pilot whose plane crashed 21 miles south of San Clemente Island. The Navy said Lt. John T. Lawler, 27, of Fighter Squadron 162 at Miramar Naval Air Station, apparently suffered fatal head injuries on impact. Lawler leaves his widow, Sylvia, of San Diego, and his mother, Mrs. Alice Wright Wakeford, Kelso, Wash.

From the November 1964 issue of Shipmate:

All of the 23rd Co. and others who knew him well know we have lost a top-notch classmate and an outstanding officer. Our sympathy goes out to Sylvia and the baby.

John's Find A Grave page is here.

Related Articles

Ronald Obenland '59 was also in 23rd Company.


Class of 1959

John is one of 32 members of the Class of 1959 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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