Lawrence Pereira

Flight Lieutenant Lawrence Pereira VrC
Birth name	Lawrence Frederic Pereira
Nickname(s)	Lawrie
Born	(1945-06-10)10 June 1945 Bandra, Mumbai
Died	14 December 1971(1971-12-14) (aged 26) Shakargarh, Pakistan (DOW)
Buried	RA (Royal Artillery) Cemetery, Garha Road, Jalandhar Cantt
Allegiance	India
Service / branch	Indian Air Force
Years of service	1964-1971
Rank	Flight Lieutenant
Service number	8678 F(P)
Unit	8 TAC Center
Battles / wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Operation Cactus-Lilly
Awards	Vir Chakra
Spouse(s)	Isabelle Pereira (AFMS)
Children	Nicole Annabelle

Flt Lt Lawrence Frederic Pereira (10 June 1945 – 14 December 1971) was an Indian air force officer. He was the recipient of the Vir Chakra, India's gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield.^[1]

Pereira began his training on 10 March 1963 at Air Force Administrative College in Coimbatore. He was commissioned on 10 August 1964, in the 80/90th Pilots course. Lawrie attended several training programs, courses and posting. The first posting to a fighter squadron after his commissioning was to No.220 Squadron at Pune. He actively participated in 1965 war with Pakistan. After this he was posted to a Gnat Fighter Unit. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in 1968 and trained on the Sukhoi-7 beginning in 1970. He was posted to Adampur Air Force Base and later to No. 26 Squadron IAF.^[2]

The citation for the Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:

CITATION
(FLIGHT LIEUTENANT LAWRENCE FREDRIC PEREIRA)

During the operations against Pakistan in December 1971, Flight Lieutenant Lawrence Fredric Pereira was employed on Forward Air Controller duties with an Army brigade in a forward area. He was required to direct close air support aircraft on to enemy targets from forward locations. His directions were responsible for many successful attacks by our aircraft on enemy concentrations. On the 14th December 1971, while performing his duties, he was hit by enemy bullets as a result of which he died.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Lawrence Fredric Pereira displayed gallantry, determination and devotion to duty of a high order.^[3]