This week we learned a little more about Edward W Lawson. We received 112 pages of information about the disposition of his remains. First the facts.
My Mother in law was married to Edward W Lawson in the 1930's and had three children by him. They were getting a divorce when he enlisted in the Army in Feb. 1942 and the divorce was final in July 1942.
Edward W Lawson married Mary L sometime in 1942.. and then married Doris A. in 1943. whoops!!
Mary L. was notified of his death, but no one else, because Mary L. did not know Edwards Mother was living or that he had been married before.
When Edward's mother wrote the Army and found out her son was killed in action, she requested his belongings. The mother also notified my mother-in-law, who did not know he had died, but was aware he had been wounded several times. He had 3 purple hearts.
Mary L, Doris A. and Edward's mother wrote letters requesting Edward's personal belongings and to have his body brought back to the states. It took a "court marshall" hearing to resolve the belongings issue in the favor of Mary L. in late 1945. In his belongings were letters and personal items. Maybe including letters and gifts from his third wife.
By 1948, Mary L had remarried, so she let Edward's mother determine where Edward W Lawson would be buried. Arlington National Cemetery.
All these letters from the Army and the Mother and wife's were in the burial documentation.
Among his personal belongings were: 1 Engr. insignia; a 2nd Lt. bar; 5 Overseas bars; 3 Purple Heart Ribbons; 1 Silver Star Ribbon; 1 Soldier's Medal ribbon; and 1 Unit Citation ribbon .
The information also shows he was with the 345th Engineers and at the time of his death he was with Co. C 10th
Engineer Combat Battalion. His mothers letters state that he entered the Army in March 1942 and trained at Camp Roberts, California until 20 Sep 1942, then he went to Fort Belvoir, Va. for Corp of Engineer training. His Death certificate states that his active service started 11 Nov 1942, so we are assuming that is when he became a 2nd Lt.
We are hoping to get more information through a freedom on information request. Will keep you posted.
Why would he have 5 Overseas bars?
Willet Bushnell