About
Vietnam War (1955-1975)
Donn Lafayette Sweet was born in Schenectady, New York, on July 14, 1942. Before General Electric sent his father to Virginia, he attended Elmer Avenue Elementary and Central Park Junior High School in the city of Schenectady. After earning his degree from Roanoke College in Virginia, Donn returned to Schenectady, New York, and worked as an insurance agent there until he was drafted.
On September 16, 1967, Donn was drafted into the United States Army. He was a first lieutenant serving with Battery B, 1st Battalion, 108th Artillery Group, 40th Artillery. On July 25, 1968, he entered a battle zone where he came under intense fire. He came under sniper fire while moving to higher ground, and although he killed the sniper, mortar fragments wounded Donn. He died while en route to the hospital. He is buried in Vale Cemetery in Schenectady, New York.
*Donn enjoyed sailing, swimming and kayaking.
Sources: The Daily Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry
Friends from high school still talk about the zany antics of Donn Sweet, a bright guy with a wild sense of humor. After college, he was drafted and sent to Vietnam. Lt. Sweet had a sign over his tent that said, "Smile! That's an order!" The letters he wrote home brim with his humor, but they also contain brutal details and an unswerving look at war.This is a book about life and death in Vietnam, but it is also a book about all wars and the families they affect forever.