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• Dark blue is the color traditionally associated with the Navy, representing the sea.
• The dark gray split chevron on the white chevron alludes to VADM Lawrence’s mission to lead a flak suppression section during a raid in North Vietnam.
• Upon taking enemy fire, his aircraft tail section separated, forcing him to eject, where he became a prisoner in Hanoi, illustrated by the shackbolt.
• The six chain links indicate the years spent as a prisoner of war. The anchor denotes naval strength.
• The golden eagle highlights VADM Lawrence as a man of courage to resist his captors, while suffering torture and beatings.
• The combination of the eagle and anchor symbolize the VADM’s career as a Naval aviator, suggesting his service as a test pilot, becoming the first to fly twice the speed of sound and final candidate for the Mercury space program.
• The stars represent VADM Lawrence’s strength of character, implying the award of two Bronze stars and the Purple Heart. The three silver stars represent the highest rank achieved, command of the 3rd Fleet as well as the three Silver Stars awarded for exceptional heroism.

• The Aegis shield emphasizes the modern weaponry and the ARLEIGH BURKE class to which the ship belongs.
• The shield reflects the colors of the Tennessee state flag, the birthplace of VADM Lawrence.
• The golden enflamed torch represents achievement and enlightenment when VADM Lawrence created the Midshipmen honor concept, as the President of his class at United States Naval Academy in 1950 and his remarkable performance as a scholar/athlete.
• The quills pens allude to knowledge, signifying his appointment as Superintendent of the Naval Academy and the poem which he mentally composed while in solitary confinement as a prisoner of war which was adopted as the Tennessee state poem in 1973.

Never give in!

The officer swords honor the proud military heritage of the Lawrence family and their service to the United States of America