Graduate, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1939.

Major Lavell was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he commanded the 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea on 1 December 1950 and died of septicemia while a prisoner on 8 February 1951. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

For his leadership and valor, Major Lavell was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Soldiers Medal, the Bronze Star with "V", the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.