Scope and Contents

Approximately half of a linear foot of materials documenting Alan J. Zygowicz's U.S. Marine Corps service as a helicopter pilot with Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 165 (VMM-165) in Vietnam. The materials include slides; artifacts; electronic media; command histories; and photocopies of pages from cruise books. The materials are dated 1971-1973.

Biographical / Historical

Alan J. Zygowicz was born in Chicago, IL on May 2, 1944. He volunteered for the United States Marine Corps in 1969 and spent a total of ten years in service including one year in Southeast Asia. Zygowicz was assigned to HMM-163 in 1971, HMM-165 in 1972, HELTRON 18 from 1973 to 1975, USSS from 1976 to 2001 and ELECTC from 2001 to 2017. He was stationed in Quantico, VA, Ft. Wolters, Ft. Rucker, MCAS Tustin, Vietnam, USS Tripoli, USS New Orleans, and Pensacola, FL. During his time in Southeast Asia, he held the positions of CH-46 Pilot and Captain and participated in Lam Son 719. He received various awards including a Vietnam service medal and air medals. He was discharged in 1974 as a Captain. After his military service Zygowicz joined the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and became a United States Secret Service Special Agent for twenty-five years.