Howard Fay Lawrence was born on August 4, 1921, in Pilot, Virginia. He was the son of Agee Frazier Lawrence and Ida Rachel Clower Lawrence. He was the husband of Lillian Gertrude Helton Lawrence.

Howard served in the 577th Bomber Squadron, 392nd Bomber Group, as a Technical Sergeant and Mechanic/Gunner on the B-24 Liberator #42-7497 during World War II.

On March 18, 1944, his crew took off from Station 118 airfield in Wendling, England, for a mission in Friedrichshafen. At 1510 hours, the plane was last seen spinning down to the left, with one engine on fire, and subsequently crashing. A total of seven parachutes in two groups were seen. Those seven crew members, including TSgt Lawrence, became prisoners of war. He was sent to Stalag Luft IV in Gross Tychow, Poland. The bodies of the other three crew members were discovered in the wreckage.

Howard worked for Tarpley's of Salem for nearly 40 years. He died on June 30, 1990, at the age of 68, at the VA Medical Center in Salem after a long illness. He is now buried in the Sherwood Burial Park, Salem, Salem City, Virginia.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net