William P. Lawrence

William P. Lawrence

William Porter Lawrence (January 13, 1930 – December 2, 2005), United States Navy, was a decorated naval aviator who served as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy from 1978 to 1981. Lawrence retired at the rank of Vice Admiral.

Lawrence was a noted pilot who became the first naval aviator to fly twice the speed of sound in a naval aircraft and was also one of the final candidates for the Mercury space program. During the Vietnam War, Lawrence was shot down while on a combat mission and spent six years as a prisoner of war, from 1967 to 1973. During this time he became noted for his resistance to his captors. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Lawrence served as the school's Superintendent from 1978 to 1981.