Changes

==Background==

==Background==

Laurel was born in heavily Hispanic and Democratic Laredo, in south Texas. He graduated in 1937 from Martin High School. He wed the former Elsa Gonzalez, who was a descendant from one of the founders of Laredo.[1] The couple had a son and a daughter. Laurel graduated from the [[Roman Catholic]]-affiliated Loyola University [[New Orleans]].[3] He then entered the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, in which he served from 1941 to 1945. He was an airplane mechanic on B-17s and B-29s and attained the rank of  staff sergeant. After military service in [[World War II]], Laurel enrolled in a pre-law curriculum at the [[University of Texas at Austin]]. He then completed his legal studies at the South Texas College of Law in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]. In 1948, he opened his law practice in Laredo.[2]

Laurel was born in heavily Hispanic and Democratic Laredo, in south Texas. He graduated in 1937 from Martin High School. He wed the former Elsa Gonzalez, who was a descendant from one of the founders of Laredo.[1] The couple had a son and a daughter. Laurel graduated from the [[Roman Catholic]]-affiliated Loyola University [[New Orleans]]. He then entered the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, in which he served from 1941 to 1945. He was an airplane mechanic on B-17s and B-29s and attained the rank of  staff sergeant. After military service in [[World War II]], Laurel enrolled in a pre-law curriculum at the [[University of Texas at Austin]]. He then completed his legal studies at the South Texas College of Law in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]. In 1948, he opened his law practice in Laredo.[2]

==Political career==

==Political career==