MACKAY, LAWRENCE E. May 17, 1945 age 19 KIA Okinawa

LAWRENCE E. MACKAY  b. April 27, 1926 Detroit d. May 17, 1945 Killed in Action Okinawa

Pvt 36471465 Army 307^th Inf Reg. 77^th Inf Div

Buried Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica, Calif

Parents: Ernest C. & Wilhelmine (Singleton)

 

Another immigrant story, both parents born in England and moving to America in the early 1920’s. In the 1930’s the Wilhelmine’s father and sister lived with the family. Ernest was a cable splicer in an auto factory, Wilhelmine an office clerk in a retail bake goods store and grandfather William Singleton worked as an elevator operator in an apartment building (he was 64). In 1935 Lawrence made a trip to England with his parents. In 1940 they lived at 16745 Oakfield (their 1930 house on Fernwood is gone).

Lawrence graduated from Redford. His draft registration was on his 18^th birthday in 1944 done in Grosse Pointe Farms. He was employed by Kelvinator, 165 lbs, blue eyes and brown hair standing 6’2”. He notes as kin J.V. Davidson, where he may have lived as his parents had already moved to Santa Monica, Calif. He enlisted soon after in July at Ft. Sheridan, Illinois.

His regiment fought on Okinawa from April 27 through June 27, 1945.

The headstone photo found for Lawrence is not the one issued by the military but one likely placed at the time of his father's death in 1977. It is not uncommon for graves to have 2 gravestones.

What was it on Okinawa like for soldiers like Lawrence? The video is actual footage of the 307^th Inf Ref 77^th Inf Div on May 18, 1945.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frWodO_ynZ4&feature=emb_title