Bruce F. D'Agostino

Bruce Frank DAgostino, born August 5, 1946 and a native of Natick, MA and current resident of Marietta, GA, died on July 22, 2017 from the effects of Agent Orange suffered while serving in Vietnam. He was the son of the late Frank and Kay Towne DAgostino and was also predeceased by his brother, Glenn. As a grade schooler, he raised the most money for the Jimmy Fund for cancer studies and won an autographed Ted Williams baseball. In high school, he formed a rock band and played backup drummer and organized a Battle of the Bands benefit. A 1965 graduate of Natick High School, he enlisted in the Air Force and was trained as a crypto-teletype technician. Assigned to Japan, he lived in the local community, taught English and learned to speak and read Japanese. He was sent to Vietnam to repair teletype machines serving in multiple locations. He often went up-country, as a photographer, to photograph American troops and the toll war took on them. Many of his photographs were sold to the Associated Press and United Press International and have since been exhibited throughout the United States. Upon returning to Natick, he took up carpentry as a trade, opening his own business. He met and married Anne Fitzpatrick; they had three sons, Peter, Greg and Joe. While living in Natick, he was a member of the Natick Jaycees, serving as President. After their divorce, he started Humanitarian International, with the mission of coordinating efforts to assist the Vietnamese people. After viewing The Vietnam Wall, he proposed returning to Vietnam, as a civilian, to negotiate the release of POWs/MIAs. His proposal was accepted by the White House and he succeeded in his mission, meeting often in 1989 with Vietnams Foreign Minister - Vice Premier Nguyen Co Thach. He was interviewed in 2016 by Joe Galloway (We Were Soldiers and Young) for the Witness to War Foundation about his return to Vietnam. That interview is currently maintained in the National Archives. In the early 90s, he moved to Key West, determined his snow shoveling days were over. In 1996, he moved to Atlanta to assist with construction of venues for the 1996 Olympics. After the Olympics, he accepted a project manager position with Cost Control Systems in Chicago where he developed five prototypes libraries, working with Mayor Richard Daley. In 1996, he met Ann Beaman by a trash can at the Atlanta Airport and they married in 1999. As a part of the Delta Family, they enjoyed traveling the world. He was a lifetime member of the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association, the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, Riverbend Gun Club, Georgia Goldwing Riders (Chapter B), American Huey 369 and a Benefactor Member of the National Rifle Association. He was a founding member of the Experimental Aircraft Association. He proudly served as a Mentor to the Cobb County Veterans Accountability Court under Judge Reuben Green. Bruce is survived by his wife of 17 years, Ann; sons Peter and wife Cynthia of Brookline, NH and their children Allie and Drew; Greg and wife Trish of Natick, MA and their daughters Livia and Mia; Joe of Dorchester, MA and his daughters, Mersadies and Annabelle and step-grandchildren, Madeline and Dylan. He is also survived by his brother, Brian and family. A memorial service will be held Thursday, July 27 at 2pm at Roswell River Landing. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bravo Victor Fund, Attn: Judge Reuben Green, Cobb County Veterans Treatment Court, Cobb Superior Court, 70 Haynes St., Marietta, GA 30090-9642.