A bit of veterans history

By Richard L. Graves Sr.
PDC/Adjutant/Historian

William “Bill” Sawtell of Brownville has been a member of the American Legion for 36 years and presently a member of Joseph. P. Chaisson Post 41 of Milo, shares some of his military experience. As a grade 4 teacher attending night college, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967 during a large buildup of forces for the Vietnam War.

Basic training of eight and a half weeks took place at the U. S. Army Training Center in Fort Bragg, N.C. Based on aptitude testing the next assignment was to train as a clerk typist at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., then on to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Lawrence, Ind. where the established U.S. Army Finance School provided his final training.

In January 1968 Sawtell was assigned to the 47th Finance section in Sattihp, Thailand where he as a specialist fourth class served as chief of finance. Thailand held the U.S. Army Support Command which provided the majority support for the U.S. forces in Vietnam anywhere from air combat support to finance. Sawtell did have an opportunity to play as a catcher for a champion post softball team prior to his departure in July 1968.

Sawtell had become ill and was evacuated by air to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines which also handled rotating air service to and from Vietnam . He eventually was received at Valley Forge, Pa. where he was discharged with a disability on Dec. 5, 1968.

Sawtell became a renowned writer of sports and history to include publishing 51 history books of interest mostly within Piscataquis County. He continues to write, self-publish and sell his history books.