Lawrence Shane Colton
Chief Warrant Officer Two, U.S. Army
Operation Iraqi Freedom

Lawrence Shane Colton was born on 30 October 1971 in Guthrie, OK, to Kathy Colton Nix. He was raised and educated in Midwest City, OK. He graduated from Carl Albert High School where he excelled in Track and Field and his picture still hangs on the wall. He also earned an Associate Degree in Computers from the University of Maryland.

Colton entered the U.S. Army in June 1992 and trained to be a helicopter pilot. He served a tour in Korea and was serving his second tour in Iraq.

On 11 April 2004, CW2 Colton was in Iraq where he was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Calvary Division. On that day, Easter Sunday, Shane was killed in action when his AH-64 Apache helicopter was shot down by insurgents in Baghdad. He died in the crash.

Badge, Medal and Awards

Army Aviator Badge
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Air Medal
Army Commendation Medal (2 Awards)
Army Achievement Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal (2 Awards)
National Defense Service Medal (2 Awards)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Medal
NCO Professional Development Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon

Burial

Funeral services for Chief Warrant Officer Two Lawrence Shane Colton, 32, of Killeen, TX, were held Friday, 23 April 2004, at the West Fort Hood Chapel with Chaplain (MAJ) Gary Bragg officiating. Burial with full military honors at Killeen Memorial Park followed the service.

Survivors include his wife: Inge, his son; Lance, both of Killeen, TX; his stepdaughter; Jennifer Steiner of Germany; his parents; Loren and Kathy Nix, of Midwest City, OK; his sister, Keri Nix, of Midwest City, OK; his stepsister, Lori Campbell, of Oklahoma City, OK; his stepbrother; Larry Nix, of Abilene, TX; and his grandparents; Jack and Evelyn Henderson, of Midwest City, OK.