Lawrence Fisher

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 fi remen civil service exam and was eventually hired. While employed as a fi reman 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, Mr. Fisher and his unit were ambushed and he was shot and captured by the Vietnam’s People’s Army. They held him captive in a foxhole for 137 days. Finally able to escape, Mr. 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. Mr. Fisher was operated on, and all but one bullet were removed successfully. The remaining bullet is still lodged in Mr. Fisher’s back, and as a result of this injury, he is paralyzed on his left side.

A brave hero, Mr. Fisher has one daughter Veronica and is the proud grandfather of four.