Henry Crawford Lawson was born on March 5, 1914, in Oklahoma. He was the son of Jennie Lawson. He was married to Mary Louis Green. He worked as an assistant window decorator for Lowenstein's before enlisting in the service. He served in the 20th Bombardment Squadron, 2nd Bombardment Group, as a Technical Sergeant and Radio Operator of B-17G #44-6440 during World War II.

On March 22, 1945, the B-17 #44-6440 was lost during a combat mission over Germany in the closing weeks of World War II. The aircraft was part of a daylight bombing operation flown by the Eighth Air Force, which at that stage of the war was focused on disrupting remaining German transportation networks, industrial targets, and military infrastructure. During the mission, the bomber came under intense German anti-aircraft fire. Critically damaged and unable to maintain formation, the aircraft attempted to break away but ultimately crashed near the town of Großräschen, in present-day Brandenburg, Germany. The crash claimed the lives of nine crew members, all of whom were killed when the aircraft went down, leaving no known survivors.

TSgt Lawson is now interred alongside some of his fellow crew members in a shared grave at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Lincoln County, Nebraska, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR)