Biographical/historical information

Leonard D. Sawyer, Sr., was born in Hyde County, North Carolina, on 7 October, 1930. He attended high School at J.A. Wilkinson High School in Belhaven, N.C., where he graduated in 1949. He then joined the Air Force in 1968 and served in Korea and Vietnam as an Avionic Inertial & Radar Navigation System Technician. He retired from the Air Force on 01 August, 1972. He then worked for the Mid-East Housing Board. Leonard Sawyer passed away on 20 January, 2013 in Washington, N.C.

Scope and arrangement

This collection contains an audiotape recording made by Leonard D. Sawyer, Sr., while on a USAF plane, of a Viet Cong attack on Phan Rang Air Force Base or Da Nang Air Base during the Vietnam War (1968), and the DD-214 discharge papers of Leonard D. Sawyer from the Air Force (April 16, 1968 – July 31, 1972).

Administrative information

Custodial History

August 20, 2014, 0.02 cu. ft.; This collection consists of reel-to-reel audiotape footage of U.S. forces at Phan Rang Air Force Base or Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, being overrun by Viet Cong attackers. The tape was recorded by Leonard D. Sawyer, Sr., while he was an Avionic Inertial & Radar Nav. Sys. Tech. on a USAF plane during the Vietnam War. Also included is a two-page summary of Mr. Sawyer's service record with the USAF (April 16, 1968 – July 31, 1972). Gift of Leonard D. Sawyer, Jr.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Leonard D. Sawyer, Jr.

Processing information

Processing completed August 12, 2019, by Ryan Miranda.

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Key terms

Personal Names

Sawyer, Leonard D., 1930-2013

Corporate Names

United States. Air Force

Topical

Military bases, American--Vietnam
Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Places

Ninh Thuận (Vietnam : Province)--History, Military--20th century

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