Lawrence A. Williams was born in Ohio on June 3, 1914, to Lawrence W. and Ruth Williams of Oxford Township. Williams attended Miami University (Ohio) School of Architecture, and graduated in June of 1936 with a B. Arch. He began his career as an apprentice soon afterward, while also working in a local hardware store as an electrician (his pre-military career is listed in a handwritten letter he wrote to accompany his application for naval flight training, and a copy is included with the lot). He initially enlisted as a Seaman, 2nd Class in the US Naval Reserves in May of 1940, and was subsequently discharged on October 3, 1940, in order to report for training as a Naval Aviator at NAS Pensacola, Florida. Williams successfully graduated 42nd in his class as a full-fledged Naval Aviator, and was commissioned an Ensign on April 21,
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