Every so often, there is one among us who truly makes a difference to his country and his community. One of those people was Julian "Buzz" Sawyer, Colonel, USAF (Retired), who passed away this weekend - - a true hero, patriot, aviator and mentor.
I first met Buzz in 1978 at North Myrtle Beach Airport, South Carolina. He had recently retired from an illustrious Air Force career that spanned 26 years and over 7,000 flight hours in the F-84 Thunderjet, F-105 Thunderchief, F-86 Sabre Jet and F-100 Super Sabre and the F-4 Phantom. Buzz flew 700 of these hours in combat during the Viet Nam War. He completed 463 combat missions as a fighter squadron commander, vice wing commander, and as commander of the 366th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Gunfighters" stationed at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Viet Nam. His many decorations for valor included the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with twenty two (!) oak leaf clusters. All of the young fighter pilots at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, home of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, knew of Buzz and his exploits, and would hang around Buzz's airport to fly the light aircraft and gliders he had there and to be close to this quietly famous man who epitomized what it meant to be a real fighter pilot. We all wanted to be like Buzz.
JULIAN D. "Buzz" SAWYER, COL., USAF (Retired)
September 2, 1928 - July 1, 2012
Now, if you walk into an Air Force flying unit today, and there's a pilot named Sawyer on the roster, you can almost bet his "tactical" nametag will say "Buzz". This comes from the well-know comic strip "Buz Sawyer" (yes, you oldtimers will remember just one "z"!), about the Navy WWII pilot Buz Sawyer's exploits during the war, then his civilian time as a worldwide oil company trouble shooter, who eventually rejoined the Navy to fly attack missions during Viet Nam. Along with many others, I devoured those adventures and it was those stories and people like our Buzz Sawyer that had a major influence on my decision to join the Air Force and experience a career flying fighters.
But Buzz wasn't just about military flying-he truly felt the call to continue to serve his community and when he had a chance to return to Demopolis and his native Alabama, he took it. As the airport manager, Buzz single-handedly built the Demopolis Municipal Airport from an underfunded, substandard airport into the vital economic portal it is today. His efforts developed the Demopolis airport into a valuable economic resource for the City of Demopolis, Marengo County, and West Alabama. This earned him the distinction of having the airport renamed in his honor, the "Julian D. Sawyer Municipal Airport". In addition, Buzz's long term accomplishments in support of aviation in Alabama were recognized by his induction into the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame last year.
I was fortunate to have come full circle and get to know Buzz again through my association with aviation and airports in Alabama. He loved to fly and show his beautiful T-6 "Texan" of WWII fame. One of the most memorable evenings I've had was at the Aviation Council of Alabama's annual convention last year, sitting with Buzz and several other pilots and airport folks at the bar, and listening to him recount some of his flying adventures. You had to coax these out of him as it was his nature not to talk about himself, but you hung on every word as he quietly mentored the group in what it meant to be a leader, a patriot, and a servant of his community.
Somewhere this Independence Day, a four ship of fighters will pass overhead a gathering of Americans, and Number Three will pull up out of the formation, a salute to those whose have given it all for this most remarkable, wonderful nation. I will be thinking of the real Buzz Sawyer, and I hope you will, too.
Buzz, here's "...a nickel on the grass..." to a true fighter pilot and friend! - Courtesy article by Al Allenback, Colonel, USAF (Retired)
(Note: Colonel Allenback was the 42d Air Base Wing commander at Maxwell AFB on his retirement from active duty in 2002, and now heads the Airport Planning & Engineering Department at Goodwyn-Mills-Cawood.)
Graveside services with full military honors will be 11 a.m. Friday, July 6, 2012, at Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo with Kirk Funeral Homes Demopolis Chapel directing.-Ed note