Heroes Spotlight: PFC John Lawrie

The following is the latest installment in an occasional series by Rich Carrara spotlighting the sacrifice and heroism of Canton veterans who were killed in action.

In their 2007 book Canton’s Fallen Heroes, Ed Piana and Tony Andreotti provide an excellent snapshot of John Lawrie’s life in Canton and his time in the U.S. Marines Corps.

PFC John A. Lawrie

Born on December 2, 1923, in Norwood, Lawrie was the oldest of four boys and they grew up at 54 Draper Lane in Canton. According to his biography, John attended the Eliot School and later Norfolk Agricultural School, and he worked on the Draper’s Farm on Pleasant Street from age 14 until his enlistment in the Marines on March 17, 1943.

Reporting for duty at Parris Island on April 2, 1943, Lawrie successfully completed all phases of Marine infantry training on May 23. After achieving the rank of private first class (PFC), he was assigned to the prestigious Company B of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines (essentially a regiment) under the 3rd Marine Division.

PFC Lawrie left his simple life in Canton to embark on a journey that would take him halfway across the globe to fight in the battle of Guam, which is located in the Marianas of the South Pacific. The following is a timeline* of his journey from Canton to Guam:

March 31, 1942: Canton, MA to Parris Island, SC (transport unknown)

October 2, 1942: Parris Island, SC to San Diego, CA (transport unknown)

October 2, 1943: San Diego, CA to Equator** (USS George Elliott)

October 2, 1943: San Diego, CA to Bougainville, Papua New Guinea (USS George Elliott)

November 2, 1943: Bougainville to Guadalcanal (USS Crescent City)

November 13, 1943: Guadalcanal to Kwajalein, Marshall Islands (USS Klip Fontein)

June 8, 1944: Kwajalein to Enewetak Atoll (USS LST-399)

July 15, 1944: Enewetak Atoll to Guam (USS LST-399)

July 21, 1944: Assault on Guam (Landing Craft)

July 23, 1944: Lost his life at 4:30 p.m. local time (which was 2:30 p.m. on July 22 in Canton, MA) 

*A few of the dates on the table may not be exact to the day, but they do illustrate the long journey he took from Canton to Guam.

**In accordance with U.S. military tradition, Lawrie became a “Shellback” — a subject of Neptune — when he crossed the Equator for the first time.

The amphibious assault on Guam began on July 21, 1944. Upon arrival, the battalion faced intense resistance, resulting in significant losses.

It’s hard to fathom that PFC Lawrie, who was born with such promise, would lose his life at just 20 years old, making the ultimate sacrifice of defending his country in a distant land like Guam. At 4:30 p.m. on July 23, 1944, Lawrie was struck by an artillery shell. On August 20, 1944, Lt. General A.A. Vandegrift, the commandant of the Marine Corps, notified the family of their loved one’s passing.

PFC John Lawrie was first buried at the military cemetery in Guam but was later interred at the military cemetery in Hawaii.

We honor his legacy, and that of others, through the telling of stories and dedication of street names, parades, and memorials. However, all of these commemorations can never be enough to repay them for their selfless sacrifices. These young men were truly the giants of the 1940s, and we owe fallen heroes like PFC Lawrie and the others so much that it can never be repaid.

Thanks to Geoff Gentilini of Golden Arrow Research for providing the critical data to complete this story.

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