Lawrence E Lynch ★ World War II Gold Star Veteran from New York
On April 25, 1945 Captain Lynch was declared a casualty of World War II. ★ He served with honor in the United States Army. ★ He is remembered by the people of New York. ★ May his positive example inspire us. Working together towards peace, mutual respect, and equality for all.
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Our displayed data concerning the life and military history of Lawrence E Lynch is a work in progress. We've assembled a list of elements we are in the process of researching and reviewing. This profile was last edited on 2019-07-23 18:20:31.
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Service Details
This Profile ID | 421928 |
Service ID | O-428150 |
Name | Lawrence E Lynch |
From | Woodhaven, Queens County, New York |
Birth Date | October 17, 1906 |
Casualty Date | April 25, 1945 |
War | World War II |
Service Branch | Army |
Rank | Captain |
Specialty | Chaplain |
Unit/Group | 69th Infantry Regiment |
Casualty Type | KIA - Killed in Action |
Location | Okinawa |
Burial | Mount Saint Alphonsus Cemetery, Esopus, Ulster County, New York |
Notable Awards |
★ Silver Star
★ Purple Heart |
Additional Details
Larry Lynch was born in 1906 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest of 12 children in his family, and they soon moved to Brooklyn, Kings county, New York. He grew up on some pretty tough streets while also serving as an altar boy. He was ordained a priest in the Redemptorist Order in 1932.
Prior to Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the Army Chaplin Corps in September 1941 and went overseas in December 1943.
He was a priest first but a soldier second, and like so many young men of that era he was unafraid of the hazards of war, receiving five citations for bravery. He was affectionately known to his men as "Father Cyclone".
The battle on Okinawa raged for weeks, and Father Lynch repeatedly sought out the battalions and regiments that were expected to see the heaviest action.
On April 25, 1945, the Japanese were shelling the battalion that Father Lynch was traveling with and a soldier nearby screamed as he was hit. The tough Irish priest from Elderts Lane ran to the young soldier’s side and began offering the last rites when a second shell struck, killing both of them instantly. |
Commendations + Awards
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Please note this might not be a complete or completely accurate accounting. For some awards we use probability factors based on known service details. Thanks for your understanding.
★ Silver Star
★ Purple Heart
★ Chaplain Badge
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Notable Reference Sources
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New York Gold Star Veterans Gallery
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Honoring the men and women of
New York who gave their all for their country.
May their example of courage and sacrifice be our guide. To be strong and responsible in our lives as citizens of the world.
Through honest daily actions, we honor them.
▶ New York was home to over 30,000
American Gold Star veterans from 4 wars of the 20th Century. Some significant statistics:
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▶ American Veterans Center 75th D-Day Congressional Reception
▶ U-Haul Supported National Memorial Day Parade
▶ National Memorial Day Parade with Spirit of 45
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Honor States Admin
Roy "Joker"
Sarah Jo "Lady Chaos"
▼ Primary Sources - These are repositories for artifacts, documents, diaries, manuscripts, and other information that serve as original and authoritative sources of information.
National Archives (NARA)
Library of Congress (LOC)
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Findagrave.com
Ancestry.com
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Honoring our fallen.
Together. Uniting us in meaningful common cause. When we work together to honor our
Gold Star veterans, we heal our nation together.
It's a team effort. Everyone's invited to join as a
Citizen Historian and
Guardian of Honor. -
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