Anthony Borden Lawson was born in New Britain, CT to the late Alice Louisa Borden and Raymond Carl Lawson. His father was a World War I Army veteran and his uncle, the late Leroy Ernfred Lawson, was a World War II Army veteran and Silver Star awardee, both of whom had an incredible influence on him. His uncle would send him various military souvenirs during his tour of duty in the European theatre from D-day in France to the Elbe River in Germany in 1945. He developed a lifelong appreciation for military history and the items that were part of it.
“Tony,” as he was known by his classmates, friends, and family, didn’t start out with the Army in mind. A photo of him at about age 5 has him wearing a wool peacoat and a U.S. Navy hat. After graduating from New Britain High School, he attended a plebe year at the Citadel in Charleston, SC. His father asked him if he was serious about a military career; he was. Tony applied and received an appointment from his congressman.
At West Point he participated in a number of activities. One of his favorites was trap and skeet competition. He recalled being invited by one of the instructors to go pheasant hunting. He was the only member of the group to bag a bird. They decided to make a gift of the bird to then Superintendent General William C. Westmoreland, who accepted it. Tony also excelled in his German language studies, which would help him later in his career. He was enthusiastic about helping the West Point Museum acquire and identify artifacts for their displays. One of those items was the complete World War I uniform of his father, which was used in a diorama display on a manikin with a Jeep.
Tony married his fiancée, Ms. Susan Ritchie, in the Chapel at West Point on graduation day in June 1962 with many of his classmates (friends) participating as groomsman sword bearers. Many newspapers published Tony and Susan’s wedding photo, as the officiating clergyman was Tony’s older brother, Reverend Peter R. Lawson. President John F. Kennedy gave the commencement speech at that graduation. Tony’s brother-in-law, Richard K. Donahue Sr., who was married to his sister Nancy, was one of President Kennedy’s advisors.
After graduation Tony attended the Armor School at Fort Knox, KY. Speaking about his leave for this assignment, he said, “I attended my first Ohio Valley Militaria Society collectors show in Covington, KY, becoming an early member.” This would inspire his further interests in military historical items.
His next assignment was Jump School at Fort Benning, GA. Having completed this early training, he was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division in Germany. In his own words, “I started as a tank platoon leader in the 2-32nd Armor, becoming a battalion adjutant, armored Cavalry platoon leader, and then as a first lieutenant was promoted to tank company commander, the youngest in Europe at that time.” In November 1965 he was promoted to the rank of captain. His last assignment in Germany was as division liaison officer to the German 2nd Panzergrenadier Division in Marburg and the 5th Panzer Division in Diez. It was during his assignments in Germany that he would welcome the births of his son, Kurt A. Lawson in ’63, and his daughter, Heidi A. (Lawson) Halder in ’64.
In 1966 he received orders to Vietnam, spending his first year there as an advisor to irregular forces operating in the U-Minh Forest in the lower Mekong Delta. As many may recall, that entire area at that time was designated a “free-fire zone,” which Tony made use of. This was followed by six months in the MACV TOC at MACV Headquarters as an operations officer under the command of General Westmoreland. “This time spanned the TET Offensive and the relief of the 26th Regiment at Khe San.”
In 1968, Robert W. Komer, the Ambassador to Vietnam, asked Tony if he would be interested in working as a foreign service officer for U.S. AID in Vietnam. Tony agreed and his last active-duty station was at Fort Knox with the 1st U.S. Army HHC, 194th Armor Brigade, which ended in November 1968. Shortly after, he moved his family from Kentucky to Manila in the Republic of the Philippine Islands.
Separation and distance from his family caused a rift in his marriage. In 1970 he separated from his wife, Susan. She and the children moved back to the continental United States and made their new home in Las Vegas, NV. Tony remained in Vietnam. He eventually transferred to the Defense Attaché Office (DAO) in MACV.
In 1971, in Vietnam, he began a relationship with the former Ghep Thi Le, and they welcomed their daughter, Kristina Lawson, in November of that year. He participated in starting several companies in anticipation that the United States of America would win that conflict. All of which failed when the conflict ended, and he returned to the States in April 1975.
In the years to come he would end his second marriage and marry a third time. He would be involved in many companies, including General Dynamics Electric Boat Division, several IBM based companies, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees District Council 27. After his third divorce, he continued to be active in the militaria community until his death.
Tony’s awards include the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Parachutist Badge, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
— Written by Kurt A. Lawson, with excerpts written by A.B. Lawson