Veteran Chaplain Shares Insights from 35 Years of Distinguished Navy Service

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JOPLIN, Mo. (NEXSTAR) – Driven by the legacy of his father, a pilot during World War II, Doug Lawson enlisted in the Navy Reserve amidst the Vietnam War turmoil, being deployed overseas in 1969.

“My father flew B-25 bombers in World War II,” Lawson shared in a recent conversation.

As the Vietnam War intensified, Lawson came to terms with his own path towards military service.

“With the draft in place and the war ongoing, I understood my turn was inevitable,” he reflected. “Several friends had joined the Naval Reserve, so I followed suit.”

Upon his return, Lawson pursued a degree in divinity and embarked on a new journey as a chaplain with the Navy.

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Although primarily stationed on land, Lawson served aboard the USS William H Stanley and the USS Kitty Hawk, where he made emotional connections with his work.

“I had 50 sailors who were new fathers, who had not seen their children. So when we pulled into port, they were the first ones off, you know, which was just an amazing thing,” Lawson recalled. “You know, some people don’t realize that life goes on, even when the ship’s at sea.”

After retiring from the Navy, Lawson returned to Joplin, where he taught and worked as a part-time hospital chaplain. He has also served on the city council, including a term as mayor.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published