Lawrence Frederick Prichard was born on June 19, 1911, in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois. He began his military career with the National Guard and later received his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy from Illinois, entering as a cadet in 1932. Upon graduating on June 12, 1936, he was commissioned into the Infantry and assigned to the 23rd Infantry at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he served for three years before becoming aide-de-camp to General J. K. Persons in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 1939, he was assigned to the renowned 29th Infantry at Fort Benning and entered the Infantry School later that fall. His studies were cut short in February 1940 when Army mobilization began, leading to his reassignment to the 23rd Infantry at Fort Sam Houston. On June 28, he departed for the Pacific Theater, where he joined the 45th Infantry (Philippine Scouts) and later transferred to the 43rd (Philippine Scouts). Captured after the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, he was held as a prisoner of war at PW Camp #2 in Davao, Mindanao, until December 1944, when he was placed aboard the Oryoku Maru en route to Japan, which was sunk by American aircraft at Subic Bay on December 15, 1944. He survived the sinking and was later transferred to the Enoura Maru, where he was reported killed on January 9, 1945, during the subsequent attack. His remains were never recovered.

Maj Prichard's name is memorialized in the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Silver Star Citation:
(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Major (Infantry) Lawrence Frederick Prichard (ASN: 0-20292), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as Commanding Officer of an Infantry Company of the 43d Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts, in action against the enemy in the defense of Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, in 1942. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Major Prichard, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, alumni.westpointaog.org, dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil, valor.militarytimes.com