C. George Lawson was born June 28, 1922 in Port Chester, N.Y. He served with the Army Air Corps as an intelligence photographer during World War II. During one of his flights, the heavy bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire and the navigator was injured. Lawson, working alongside the pilot, helped to navigate and safely land the aircraft in friendly territory. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for his actions, but did not receive it until 42 years after his service. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Alabama and master's degree from the University of Tennessee. He married Bernice Kahn Lawson in 1948 and together they had two children. He retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1985. He died December 22, 2004 and is buried in Anderson County, Tennessee.