Manny Lawton Papers
Collection
Identifier: Mss-0260
The papers include audiotapes with accompanying summaries and interview transcriptions, clippings, correspondence, manuscripts and drafts for his book Some Survived, badges/medals, miscellaneous material, photographs, a Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service plaque, press releases, scrapbooks, slides, and speeches.
The subject files in the collection date from 1936-1985. The audiotapes date from 1973, 1977, and 1978. The clippings date from the early 1940's through 1985. The correspondence files date from 1942-1982. The dated manuscripts and drafts of Some Survived are from 1977, while several are undated. The medals date from 1967, 1968, and 1982. The miscellaneous material has several items that are dated circa early 1940's, 1976, and 1982. The photographs date from 1936-1985.
Two audiotapes contain recordings taken from the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor annual meetings at Fontana, NC. One recording made in 1973 is of Vietnam POW Col. Bobby Bagley, who was shot down and subsequently spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war. Another recording made in 1978 relates the wartime experiences of Sgt. Phil Brodsky. Sgt. Brodsky spent time in various Japanese prison camps during World War II, and was one of only nine survivors of the Arisan Maru maritime disaster. In addition, there is a written transcript of an interview with Capt. Mark Wohlfeld dated 1978. This individual was involved in a daring escape attempt while a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II. There is no audiotape available for Wohlfeld's interview.
The files containing clippings cover war related topics such as the Oryoku Maru disaster and the Bataan Death March, as well as stories written about Manny Lawton's career. Lawton himself penned many articles for various newspapers; several of which are included. Clippings related to Lawton's 1982 appearance on NBC's Bataan-The Forgotten Hell documentary are also present.
The correspondence files include a copy of the May 6, 1942 memo sent to Washington, DC announcing that Corregidor had fallen to the Japanese; a copy of General Dwight D. Eisenhower's message to Allied forces announcing the start of "Operation Overlord;" original laminated POW mail sent from Lawton to family; correspondence sent to Lawton's parents from concerned friends; material related to the writing and publishing of Manny Lawton's book Some Survived; and Lawton's appearance of NBC's Bataan-The Forgotten Hell documentary, which aired in 1982.
The manuscripts contain various early drafts of what was to become the published work, Some Survived.
The photograph files contain photocopies of Manny Lawton's Clemson College cadet photos; 10 photos of the surrender of Japanese troops in 1945; Bataan Day observances in 1967 and 1982; a meeting with Senator "Sonny" Montgomery of Mississippi in 1980; miscellaneous photos; and a photograph of Lawton receiving the Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 1985. In addition, there are 90 slides depicting the 1967 Bataan Day observances.
There is one postcard file dated January-February 1946 that details Manny Lawton's time spent in the western part of the United States after liberation.
There are two files related to POW medical issues. One file contains a study entitled "Neuropsychiatry In WWII" dated 1972. The other file contains several articles and studies written by Dr. John Nardini; one of which is entitled "Survival Factors In American Prisoners Of War Of The Japanese" dated 1952.
The press releases files contain transcripts of Lawton's appearances on both ABC and NBC telecasts.
The speeches file contains material that Lawton presented to audiences in 1967, 1969, and the early 1980's.
There are two veteran's affairs files that contain statistics, legislation, and testimony dated 1979-1982.
Manny Lawton was born on March 5, 1918 in Garnett, SC the son of Brewton Sams and Marian Smith Lawton. He was one of four children: Adelaide, Ella, and Paul being his siblings.
Lawton attended Clemson College, where he majored in General Science. While at Clemson, he was a member of the First Regiment Staff as well as the Reserve Officer Training Program.
Upon graduation in 1940, Lawton was sent to the Philippines where he served as a battalion military advisor for the First Battalion-31st Infantry, Philippine Army. Manny Lawton eventually rose to the rank of Major.
American and Filipino forces surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942. Lawton took part in what is now termed the "Death March", in which thousands of American and Filipino prisoners perished. He subsequently spent three and one-half years as a POW, not only enduring wretched treatment in various prisoner camps, but also survived inhumane conditions aboard the Oryoku Maru transport ship while en route to Japan.
Following liberation in 1945, Manny Lawton was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, American Defense Ribbon with one Bronze Star, Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with two Bronze Stars, Philippine Defense Ribbon with one Bronze Star, and the Distinguished Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Clusters. He was also awarded the Philippine Defense Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation from the Philippine Government.
Lawton married Margaret (Peggy) Leech of Beaverdale, Pa in February 1947. They had three children: Marion Russell Jr., Doris, and Brewton. Upon his retirement from the Army, Lawton settled in Estill, SC, where he was a partner with the Walker & Lawton Lumber Co. from 1950-1960, and owner of Estill Feed Mill from 1960-1975.
A supporter of the Republican Party, Lawton was Precinct Chairman of Estill's Republican Party in 1964, Chairman of Hampton County Republican Party in 1965, and a SC Delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1968.
Lawton was a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Coastal Plains Regional Commission from 1974-77, Federal Highway Administration from 1978-1981, and Veterans Administration from 1981-83.
Lawton enrolled at the University of South Carolina's school of Journalism in 1976 in preparation for his book, Some Survived. In 1984, Lawton published the book Some Survived, which chronicled the harrowing experiences of POW's during internment by the Japanese.
Manny Lawton was a member of the American Legion, Lions (past President), Disabled American Veterans, and the Clemson Alumni Council (past Director).
In 1985 Lawton received the Service Above Self Award from the Charleston Rotary, and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Clemson Alumni Association.
Manny Lawton died on March 19, 1986 in Charleston, SC. He is buried along with his wife Peggy (1917-2000) at the Black Swamp Cemetery in Hampton, SC.
1.15 Cubic Feet (consisting of 56 folders; 1 oversized folder containing 11 newspapers/articles; 1 oversized box containing 1 scrapbook and 1 photo album; 146 photographs; 90 slides; and 5 badges/medals.)
English
Manny Lawton, Clemson alumnus (class of 1940), author, and lecturer. Served as battalion military advisor with the Philippine Army until Allied forces fell to the Japanese during WWII. Survived the atrocities of Bataan, only to subsequently spend 3 ½ years as a prisoner of war. Lawton's ability and willingness to share his experiences give great insight into the struggles of imprisoned soldiers during wartime.
By series.
Received from Brewton Lawton in 2001. Formerly accession number 01-121
Processed by Carl Redd in 2004.
The conversion of this finding aid to Encoded Archival Description format was made possible with a grant from the South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board in 2009-2010. The finding aid was prepared for encoding by Carl Redd.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository