William P. Lawrence

Who was William P. Lawrence?

William Porter "Bill" Lawrence, 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.