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<em>Thomas Edward Lawrence</em> was born on 24 July 1921 in Litchfield, Minnesota, the son of Frank E. and Portia (Joubert) Lawrence. He attended public schools in Litchfield and grew up as a farmer’s son with lots of farm work. In high school, he played football, as guard and tackle, and softball, as second baseman and catcher. Upon graduation he attended the University of Minnesota for two quarters until he was appointed to USMA by Congressman Harold Knutson of the Sixth Congressional District of Minnesota. Tom was locally famous as the first cadet appointed from Meeker County, Minnesota.</p>
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In 1941, Tom, with other future cadets from Minnesota, came down the West Shore railroad to West Point and straggled up to the West Academic Building, where his life abruptly changed. He was quickly given the name “Ski-nose,” which he kept throughout his stay. Tom had a beautiful tenor voice and was soon in the Catholic Chapel Choir, which he directed in his first class year.</p>
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Tom loved to discuss controversial subjects and would quickly stop studying to join in with heated remarks. He was very proud of his namesake, Thomas E. Lawrence, the English officer who, as “Lawrence Of Arabia,” organized the dissident Arab tribes in the Middle East to successfully drive out the Turks in WWI.</p>
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During the first class field trips in the summer of 1943, Tom met Marjorie Key at the Officers Club at Camp Wheeler, Macon, Georgia. Correspondence throughout first class year culminated in Marjorie coming up to West Point to share Tom’s “June Week” and graduation.</p>
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Tom started to train for the Infantry when he ran afoul of the Tactical Department and walked the area, but he bounced back and was appointed a cadet sergeant. Upon graduation he was commissioned a second lieutenant, Infantry, which he had always wanted.</p>
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After the Basic Course at Ft. Benning, Tom was assigned to the 424th Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division, Camp Attebury, Indiana, just a few days before the division left for Europe. They replaced the Second Infantry Division, just inside the Belgian/German border. Seven Infantry officers of the Class of 1944 assigned to the 106th Infantry Division became known as the “Seven Samurai” because they were the first members of the Class of 1944 to enter combat.</p>
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The Germans launched a strong offensive into the 106th Division on 16 December 1944. Tom and his platoon were hard put to stem the attack, and, by Christmas Day 1944, Tom had distinguished himself and was decorated with the Silver Star for gallantry in action, as well as the Purple Heart for wounds. Tom and his outfit continued to fight the Germans as a separate regiment attached to other divisions. Again he distinguished himself and was decorated with the Bronze Star and another Purple Heart. When the Germans capitulated, Tom remained with the 424th Infantry until it rotated to the U.S. late in 1945.</p>
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Tom was then assigned to Headquarters, Seventh U.S. Army until January 1946, when he came back to the States on temporary duty and married Marjorie Key in Macon, Georgia. Tom took his new bride back to Germany to a Constabulary unit in Bamberg, Bavaria. These were pleasant times, with frequent trips throughout Bavaria using a homemade automobile (mostly Volkswagen) Tom and a friend had put together. Marjorie fondly remembers negotiating the blown-out bridges, makeshift roads, and unbelievable conditions. In 1947, Tom was rotated back to the U.S.</p>
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Captain Lawrence served on Army Field Forces Board #3 at Ft. Benning until 1950. Here daughter Valerie was bom in 1947 and son Steve in 1950.</p>
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Tom attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course in 1950-51, after which he and his family were assigned to a U.S. unit in Puerto Rico for three years. Upon return to the States, Major Lawrence was assigned as S-4 of a training regiment at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina.</p>
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Tom then had a 16-month unaccompanied tour of duty with the Republic of Korea Military Academy, followed by a four-year ROTC assignment at Georgia Tech.</p>
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In 1960 Tom and family were transferred to the Alaskan Command in the Field Maintenance Battalion at Fort Richardson, where—upon promotion to lieutenant colonel in 1962—he assumed command.</p>
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Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence was then assigned to Ft. Benning to be the Chief of HUMRRO.</p>
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Tom retired in 1965 and settled in Destin, Florida, with his family. Soon he entered civilian life as the Director of the local Office of Economic Opportunity, Okaloosa County. During his retirement years he also was a realtor; president of the Avitan Club; and active in many community affairs, Special Olympics, and his church. He also enjoyed restoring antique furniture.</p>
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Tom often went back to his roots in Litchfield, Minnesota, for Lawrence family reunions. Tom would always be surrounded by nieces and nephews and enticed to tell stories of how he fought the Germans in WWII. Some stories were pretty hair-raising, telling of how he was wounded and what he did. His nieces and nephews fondly remember Uncle Tom and his stories.</p>
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Tom’s family will always treasure warm memories of his love and thoughtfulness for his family, friends, and those in need and his generosity with his time and money</p>
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Tom is survived by his wife, Marjorie, of Destin, Florida; a daughter, Doctor Valerie Melnik of San Antonio, Texas; a son Steven of Elkhorn, Nebraska; and three grandchildren.</p>
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Tom joined the Long Gray Line from the Veterans Memorial Center, Waco, Texas, on 2 April 1995. He was interred with full military honors in Saint Columban Cemetery, Greenleaf, Minnesota.</p>
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His classmates say, “Well done, Tom—be thou at peace.”</p>
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<em>A roommate</em></p>