Lawrence Fisher

U.S. Army
Vietnam | POW


Lawrence Fisher, son of John and Ada Fisher, was born April 17, 1941 in Savannah, Georgia. He attended
Savannah Public School and graduated high school in 1959. Mr. Fisher relocated to the New York
metropolitan area, working various jobs to make ends meet. He took the Firemen’s Civil Service Exam and was eventually hired. While employed as a fireman at the 125th Street Station, he was drafted by the United States Army.

Following basic training, Mr. Fisher went to officer training school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was assigned to parachute school, which he successfully completed. Mr. Fisher was sent to Vietnam as a First Lieutenant, and is proud that he did not lose a single man under his command. Within a week of being scheduled to return home on his final detail in Vietnam, Lt. Fisher and his unit were ambushed. He was shot and captured by the Vietnam People’s Army. They held him captive in a foxhole for 137 days.

Finally able to escape, Lt. Fisher got back into U.S. Army territory and was airlifted to the Philippines. From there, he was transported to Walter Reed Hospital, where he remained for six months. Lt. Fisher was operated on, and all but one bullet was removed successfully. The remaining bullet was still
lodged in Lt. Fisher’s back, and as a result of this injury, he was paralyzed on his left side.

A brave hero, Mr. Fisher had one daughter, Veronica, and was the proud grandfather of four. He passed away November 19, 2018 at age 77.

Sponsored by the Bounviaggo Family