(Mill Creek, IN) - A La Porte County man who flew bombers in WWII turned 100 on Thursday and was honored with a front-yard full of appreciative admirers.
Wilbur Lawson was born on May 19, 1922. He served his country as a mechanic and top turret gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress in the 8th Air Force.
Prior to the war, Lawson worked at the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant. About seven months after getting married, he went into the Army, eventually seeing action with a bomber crew in Europe. “We had eight of the best people you would want to trust your life with,” he said. “After six missions over Germany and France, the war in Europe was over. They didn’t tell us that throughout the war the casualty rate was 80%. When you’re young, you don’t worry too much.”
After returning home, he worked at Bendix in South Bend for over 35 years. He and his wife Norma raised their five children in the New Carlisle area. Norma passed away in 1990, and Wilbur now lives with his son in Mill Creek, where he still mows the lawn.
On Thursday over a dozen bikers, along with some police squad cars, paid Mr. Lawson a visit. The procession was led by St. Joseph County Commissioner Derek Dieter, who says Wilbur represents the last of a special breed of men. “We’re honoring the ‘Greatest Generation’ because they were,” said Dieter as he rallied the convoy in New Carlisle. “Today I could not see, unfortunately, this 18-19-20-year-old culture doing what these dudes did.”
Dieter also arranged for a flyover of vintage aircraft and presented Wilbur with an authentic brown leather bomber jacket. The birthday boy, who hasn’t flown in a plane since his stint in the Army, let his grandkids wear the jacket.
Many La Porte County law enforcement officers and public officials also gathered in Wilbur’s front yard for a group picture.
