Allan B Lawyer

Pfc Allan Lawyer was killed in action on 06 June 1944, serving with Anti-Tank Company, 16th Infantry Regiment. On D-Day, the unit's forward elements went ashore with the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 16th Infantry at 0745 hours on Fox Green and Easy Red beaches near Colleville-sur-Mer, landing directly into heavy artillery, mortar, and small-arms fire. Company headquarters came in on Easy Green Beach under similar fire, moved several hundred yards along the shore before turning inland to establish a command post, and was joined there by gun crews who had managed to save their weapons despite losing several vehicles in the surf. Throughout the day the men worked to unload landing craft and reorganize under fire, finally consolidating into a defensive position by late afternoon for the first night ashore, a night marked by sniper activity and enemy bombing across the beach and regimental area. In the fighting of that first day the company suffered heavy losses, including men killed, wounded, and missing, even as others carried out acts of courage salvaging equipment and pulling wounded comrades from the water while helping secure the beachhead. Pfc Lawyer was killed in action that day; the report does not specify the individual circumstances.