My Cousin Alfred L. Lawyer
A picture of my cousin, Alfred L. Lawyer, CPL, from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
One summer, my family and I took a trip to Washington, D.C. We visited a number of tourist attractions, including the Vietnam War Memorial.
The Vietnam War Memorial, completed in 1982, commemorates the more than 50,000 Americans who went missing or died during the conflict. The memorial, consisting of two 200 foot long walls of shiny black granite, lists the names of those who passed or went missing in chronological order by date of death.
As we entered the memorial that summer day, I remember my father saying:
“You know, we had a cousin that died in Vietnam. His name should be listed here.”
Always the history buff, teen Calyssa immediately set off to find his name. I do not recall who exactly located his name, but after awhile there it was: Alfred L. Lawyer.
The picture I took of the Vietnam War Memorial wall years ago.
That day, I took a picture of his name, and we set off to our next adventure. I am only now, almost 15 years later, reflecting on the significance of that event, his life and service.
My cousin Alfred Lawyer was drafted into the Vietnam War and died while serving as a Unit Supply Specialist. He was just 20 years old.
The first iteration of America’s draft was created by the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940. It was eventually replaced by the Selective Service Act of 1948; this act remained in effect through the start of the Vietnam War. The use of the draft became a hotly contested issue in the 60s and 70s. Much of the draft controversy centered around the belief that minorities and the poor were drafted at disproportionate rates, resulting in higher casualties.
There was also controversy around deferments, which included being a college student; being in the clergy; medical exemptions; and being the sole supporter of a parent. Eventually, the draft lottery was implemented in December of 1969, in an effort to curtail some of the controversy.
My cousin died in May of 1969, just a few months shy of the lottery that December. In total, over two million people were drafted into the war. In 1973, the draft ended and the military switched to a completely voluntary system for the war.
I am not here to dispute or argue the merits of the draft one way or another, or the merits of the Vietnam War and America’s involvement. By sharing stories related to my life and upbringing and infusing a bit of history, I intend only to inform and today, to commemorate a life.
On this Memorial Day, I want to honor all military personnel who died in service. And I want to specifically honor my cousin Alfred Lawyer.