• Aug. 17, 1920 – Jan. 21, 1944
• From McMinn County, Tennessee, but born in New Mexico
• Education- 1941-1942
• 1st Lt. – Army Air Corps
• Trained at Albany Field, Georgia
• 439th Bomb Sq, 319th Bomb Group. Co-Pilot of a B-26 hit by flak and destroyed on a bombardment mission to RR/Bridge at Orvieto, Italy.
  • Flying out of Sardinia
• Florence American Cemetery at Via Cassia, Italy

House Royston Lawson (Aug. 17, 1920 – Jan. 21, 1944) was born in New Mexico, but raised in McMinn County, Tennessee. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Education in the academic year of 1941-1942. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps and trained at Albany Field in Georgia. He was originally commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, but was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant when he was deployed to the European Theater during the Invasion of Sicily and Italy. He flew as a co-pilot on board a B-26 bomber in the 439th Bomb Squadron of the 319th Bomber Group. The squadron was stationed at an airfield in Sardinia when 1st Lt. Lawson was killed in action on January 21, 1944. During a bombing mission on a railroad bridge at Orvieto, Italy, his  B-26 was struck by anti-aircraft flak and was destroyed mid-air. 1st Lieutenant H. Royston Lawson is buried at the Florence American Cemetery at Via Cassia, Italy.

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