The Patriot Guard Riders have been invited by the family of William Lawson to attend services for their Hero, it will be our privilege to fulfill their request.
Bill served in the U.S. Army from DEC 1968 - DEC 1970 having been drafted shortly after high school. He went to Vietnam and had over 200 missions with the 1st Cav Recon. His assigned weapon was the M60 machine gun (which he loved). For his heroic service he was decorated with the following: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, one Overseas Bar, Vietnam Campaign Medal W/60 DVC, Combat Infantry Badge, Army Commendation Medal (first oak leaf cluster), The Air Medal, Bronze Star Medal w/ "V" Device, and Bronze Star Medal (second oak leaf cluster). Our hero was a Sergeant (E5) at the time of his honorable discharge. Bill was a victim of Agent Orange and succumbed to the ravages of his 15 years of treatment for cancer (lymphoma).
Bill married his high school sweetheart, Linda, and they’ve been married for 53 years. Following his service, he became a master machinist and worked in the family-owned business, Lawson Manufacturing, for 20years. He then worked at the Anheuser-Busch container plant as their in-house machinist. Bill then started his own machine shop machining custom products and firearm parts. Fishing and the beach were pastimes in his younger years, but he was a man on a mission to provide for his family.
Our hero is survived by his wife, Linda Lawson, sons Ty & Troy Lawson, sister Linda Mott, brothers Dale, Jack, Edward Lawson. He was a proud granddad to six grand and four great grandchildren.
TIMETABLE FOR SATURDAY, 25 May 20241100 - Stage at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd Riverside, CA. (Lemay Blvd near the restrooms on the right).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UAoAQTYkLzPAM6nn71115 - Mission briefing.
1130 - Await arrival of hero in family car and KSU to assigned cortège.
1200 - KSU to assigned shelter for flag line and military honors.
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R/C Steve “Capt. Chaos” BlumenfeldSoCal PGR Ride CaptainSSGT USAF 1970-1974
steveb.pgrcc@gmail.com
661-212-2284
NOTE: This mission posting is to facilitate your voluntary participation in honoring this Military Veteran. For those interested, and all PGR members are welcome, we will be Standing in HONOR of our hero and his family at RNC, his final resting place.
