 |
| Lt. Lewis Later was a B-25 navigator in Tunisia. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70717809/lewis-b_-lawter https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/8092036501 |
Lewis B. Lawter never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on August 9, 1919 in South Carolina. His parents Lee and Inez were also both born in South Carolina. His father worked as a railroad assistant junction master and later as a warehouse manager. Lewis had one younger sister. By 1940 Lewis had completed one year of college at Clemson University and was still living at home. He worked as a textile shop mechanic. He married Francis Kinsland at some point in 1942.
He enlisted in the army on January 8, 1942. He volunteered for the Army Air Forces and became a navigator and second lieutenant in the 489th Bombardment Squadron, 340th Bombardment Group, which was equipped with B-25 Mitchells.
Lt. Lawter's squadron was stationed out of Sfax, Tunisia when he arrived. He completed three combat missions and began his fourth mission on April 25, 1943. After takeoff, his plane, nicknamed Little Joe, was assembling into formation when it collided with another B-25. Both planes crashed with no survivors.
His grave is at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Spartanburg, South Carolina. I don't know what happened to his widow.
Last year on this date I profiled Hank Nowak, an accomplished baseball pitcher. You can read about Hank here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
Lt. Lawter, Thank you for your service to your country! Part of the reason we are free today is because of your sacrifice. You were part of the "greatest generation" That fought ww2 then came back to build our country into the graetest in the World. I am sorry that your family had to live the rest of their live's without you in their midst!! God Bless You and RIP.
ReplyDelete