World War II Lawson Harry McPhearson Sanderson (July 22, 1895 – June 11, 1973) was an aviation pioneer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general.

[1] As commanding officer of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Sanderson accepted the Japanese surrender of Wake Island at the end of World War II.

He then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on September 19, 1917, and subsequently served as drill instructor with the rank of gunnery sergeant.

Nevertheless, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in January 1945 and remained in command of Marine Fleet Air, West Coast until May 1945, when he was transferred back to Pacific.

Sanderson relieved Brigadier General Louis E. Woods in command of 4th Marine Aircraft Wing and subsequently participated in air support operations over Gilbert and Marshall Islands.

He also accepted surrender of Wake Island from Japanese admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara on September 4, 1945, who was later sentenced to death by a military tribunal for war crimes in connection with execution of 98 civilian workers in October 1943 and hanged on June 18, 1947.

Sanderson was attached to the staff of Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific in March 1946, and served under Major General William J. Wallace.

He remained there until the end of June and subsequently was appointed commanding general of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing based in Tientsin, China.

From 17 October 1942 to 31 December 1942, Colonel Sanderson served as operations officer of the FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing at Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands.