William P. Lawrence

William P. Lawrence
Lawrence in September 1983
Nickname(s)	"Bill"
Born	(1930-01-13)January 13, 1930 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	December 2, 2005(2005-12-02) (aged 75) Crownsvile, Maryland, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1951–1986
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands held	U.S. Pacific Fleet Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy U.S. Third Fleet Chief of Naval Personnel Fighter Squadron 143
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal (4) Silver Star (3) Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Purple Heart (2) Air Medal (3)
Relations	Captain Wendy B. Lawrence (daughter)
Other work	President of the Association of Naval Aviation

William Porter "Bill" Lawrence (January 13, 1930 – December 2, 2005), was a decorated United States Navy Vice Admiral and Naval Aviator who served as Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from 1978 to 1981.

Lawrence was a noted pilot who became the first Naval Aviator to fly twice the speed of sound in a naval aircraft and was also one of the final candidates for the Mercury space program. During the Vietnam War, Lawrence was shot down while on a combat mission and spent six years as a prisoner of war, from 1967 to 1973. During this time he became noted for his resistance to his captors. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Lawrence served as the school's Superintendent from 1978 to 1981.

Lawrence's parents and grandparents were from Tennessee. Lawrence's father Robert Landy "Fatty" Lawrence (1903–1976) attended Vanderbilt University, where he was a noted student-athlete who graduated in 1924. Lawrence was a native of Nashville, and attended local schools. When in the fourth grade, Lawrence composed a poem called Little Fly:

Lawrence distinguished himself as a student athlete at Nashville's West High School, and in 1947 turned down a scholarship at Yale University to attend the United States Naval Academy.

Lawrence stood out as a varsity athlete in three sports at the Naval Academy, excelling in football, basketball, and baseball. During his time at the Academy, he held several high-ranking midshipman offices, including Commander of the Brigade of Midshipmen, President of the Class of 1951, while also graduating number 8 academically out of a class of 725. His other major accomplishments included helping to establish the honor concept governing midshipman's conduct. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1951. Ensign Lawrence continued on at the Naval Academy as Aide to the Commandant of Midshipmen until September 1951 when he reported to flight training.