Robert R. Sawhill, Jr.

Robert Sawhill was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Pittsburgh on May 23, 1952, and went on active duty beginning July 3, 1952. Lieutenant Sawhill served as an Admin Officer with the 3615th Air Base Group at Craig AFB, Alabama, and then completed pilot training and was awarded his pilot wings at James Connally AFB, Texas, in January 1954. He next completed All Weather Interceptor pilot training at Moody AFB, Georgia, followed by service as an F-89 Scorpion pilot with the 66th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Captain Sawhill served as an F-94 Stafire, F-102 Delta Dagger, and then F-106 Delta Dart pilot with the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Langley AFB, Virginia, and then as an F-102 pilot with the 68th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Itazuke AB, Japan. His next assignment was as an F-102 pilot with the 40th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Yokota AB, Japan, followed by service as an F-4 Phantom II pilot and Air Operations Officer for the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida. Major Sawhill served as an F-4 pilot with the 40th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Eglin AFB, and then as an F-4 pilot with the 497th and then 555th Tactical Fighter Squadrons at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from May 1967 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on August 23, 1967.