About
Donn Lafayette Sweet, the son of Alva and Marion (Berning) Sweet, was born on July 14, 1942, in Schenectady, New York. Donn enjoyed sailing, swimming and kayaking. Before General Electric sent his father to Virginia, he attended Elmer Avenue Elementary and Central Park Junior High School. After earning his degree from Roanoke College, Donn returned to Schenectady and worked as an insurance agent there until he was drafted.
On September 16, 1967, Donn was drafted into the United States Army. He held the rank of First Lieutenant and served with Battery B, 1st Battalion, 108th Artillery Group, 40th Artillery. Donn had entered the conflict zone on July 25, 1968, where he came under intense fire. He came under sniper fire from the enemy while moving to higher ground. Despite killing the sniper, Donn was wounded by mortar fragments. He passed away while en route to the hospital. Donn is buried in the Vale Cemetery, Schenectady, New York.
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.