Scope and Contents

One memoir donated to the archive by Jerry Dufresne. The memoir is about his service with the 619th Tactical Control Squadron (619th TCS) in Vietnam from July 1969 through February 1971. During his tour Dufresne volunteered to work as a French interpreter for the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron (19th TASS) and fly on FAC missions over Cambodia in support of General Lon Nol from June 1970 through February 1971.

Biographical / Historical

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1942, Jerry Dufresne volunteered for the United States Air Force in 1961 and served for over twenty (20) years. After training, he was assigned to 619th TCS and later to the 19th TASS. He was stationed at Ton Son Nhut Air Base and later at Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam and worked as a Radar Operations Specialist and Interpreter while holding the rank of Staff Sergeant. He saw combat while earning multiple medals, ribbons and commendations before retiring in 1981. After Vietnam, he managed a franchise in the service industry. He is a member of the AFA (Air Force Association), the FAC (Forward Air Controllers Association), the Rustic Association, and the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars).