Joseph P. Lawlor was born in De Witt, Iowa in 1893, and attended South Dakota State College in 1915 and 1916.  He received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois.  After serving in WWI as an infantry captain, 1918-1919, he resumed his engineering career.  He became assistant manager of Dakota Engineering Co. in Memphis Tenn. in 1921; vice-president of Layne Arkansas Co.; and was secretary-treasurer of Layne Central Co. from 1922-1930, and vice-president and general manager from 1930-1934.  In 1934 and 1935 he was chief engineer at Thorpe Well Co. in Des Moines.

As a Navy commander during WW II Joseph Lawlor commanded the 92nd SeaBee Battalion that built an airfield on Tinian Island in the South Pacific.  It was from this base that the Enola Gay launched its bombing run to drop the first atomic bomb on Japan.