Colonel Thomas Ogle Groce, USAF (Retired), died on Thursday, November 18, 2004.
He was 82 years old.
He was born on January 23, 1922 in Huntland, Tennessee into a wonderful large family that moved to Sherman, Texas when Tom was four months old.
Upon high school graduation, Tom enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. This placed 5 Groce brothers serving their country during the perils of World War II. In 1943, he was promoted to Sergeant and entered pilot training in Dothan, Alabama. Upon graduation, Tom was commissioned a 2nd Lt. and was assigned to the 419th Night Fighters Squadron in the Philippines where he flew the P-61, known as the "Black Widow". Soon after the squadron was assigned to Clark AFB and Tom was promoted to squadron commander and supply officer. During his distinguished career in the Air Force, Tom flew a variety of aircraft and logged over 10,000 flight hours. He was a rated instructor and senior command pilot. Other Air Force duties included Chief of Supply and Services where he began to standardize and computerize the Air Force supply systems. Colonel Groce served a total of 33 years of active duty with assignments in Eniwetok on the Atomic Bomb Project, Athens, Greece, Offutt AFB, Nebraska and ending his long career as the Chief of Logistics at Randolph AFB in San Antonio, Texas.
Tom was married to his beloved wife Millie for 56 years.
They were blessed with 2 daughters: Suzette Beasley and Pamela Ferguson. He had 5 grandchildren: Shannan, Renee, Jeff, Jason and Nathan.
He was 82 years old.
He was born on January 23, 1922 in Huntland, Tennessee into a wonderful large family that moved to Sherman, Texas when Tom was four months old.
Upon high school graduation, Tom enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. This placed 5 Groce brothers serving their country during the perils of World War II. In 1943, he was promoted to Sergeant and entered pilot training in Dothan, Alabama. Upon graduation, Tom was commissioned a 2nd Lt. and was assigned to the 419th Night Fighters Squadron in the Philippines where he flew the P-61, known as the "Black Widow". Soon after the squadron was assigned to Clark AFB and Tom was promoted to squadron commander and supply officer. During his distinguished career in the Air Force, Tom flew a variety of aircraft and logged over 10,000 flight hours. He was a rated instructor and senior command pilot. Other Air Force duties included Chief of Supply and Services where he began to standardize and computerize the Air Force supply systems. Colonel Groce served a total of 33 years of active duty with assignments in Eniwetok on the Atomic Bomb Project, Athens, Greece, Offutt AFB, Nebraska and ending his long career as the Chief of Logistics at Randolph AFB in San Antonio, Texas.
Tom was married to his beloved wife Millie for 56 years.
They were blessed with 2 daughters: Suzette Beasley and Pamela Ferguson. He had 5 grandchildren: Shannan, Renee, Jeff, Jason and Nathan.
Colonel Thomas Ogle Groce, USAF (Retired), died on Thursday, November 18, 2004.
He was 82 years old.
He was born on January 23, 1922 in Huntland, Tennessee into a wonderful large family that moved to Sherman, Texas when Tom was four months old.
Upon high school graduation, Tom enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. This placed 5 Groce brothers serving their country during the perils of World War II. In 1943, he was promoted to Sergeant and entered pilot training in Dothan, Alabama. Upon graduation, Tom was commissioned a 2nd Lt. and was assigned to the 419th Night Fighters Squadron in the Philippines where he flew the P-61, known as the "Black Widow". Soon after the squadron was assigned to Clark AFB and Tom was promoted to squadron commander and supply officer. During his distinguished career in the Air Force, Tom flew a variety of aircraft and logged over 10,000 flight hours. He was a rated instructor and senior command pilot. Other Air Force duties included Chief of Supply and Services where he began to standardize and computerize the Air Force supply systems. Colonel Groce served a total of 33 years of active duty with assignments in Eniwetok on the Atomic Bomb Project, Athens, Greece, Offutt AFB, Nebraska and ending his long career as the Chief of Logistics at Randolph AFB in San Antonio, Texas.
Tom was married to his beloved wife Millie for 56 years.
They were blessed with 2 daughters: Suzette Beasley and Pamela Ferguson. He had 5 grandchildren: Shannan, Renee, Jeff, Jason and Nathan.
He was 82 years old.
He was born on January 23, 1922 in Huntland, Tennessee into a wonderful large family that moved to Sherman, Texas when Tom was four months old.
Upon high school graduation, Tom enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. This placed 5 Groce brothers serving their country during the perils of World War II. In 1943, he was promoted to Sergeant and entered pilot training in Dothan, Alabama. Upon graduation, Tom was commissioned a 2nd Lt. and was assigned to the 419th Night Fighters Squadron in the Philippines where he flew the P-61, known as the "Black Widow". Soon after the squadron was assigned to Clark AFB and Tom was promoted to squadron commander and supply officer. During his distinguished career in the Air Force, Tom flew a variety of aircraft and logged over 10,000 flight hours. He was a rated instructor and senior command pilot. Other Air Force duties included Chief of Supply and Services where he began to standardize and computerize the Air Force supply systems. Colonel Groce served a total of 33 years of active duty with assignments in Eniwetok on the Atomic Bomb Project, Athens, Greece, Offutt AFB, Nebraska and ending his long career as the Chief of Logistics at Randolph AFB in San Antonio, Texas.
Tom was married to his beloved wife Millie for 56 years.
They were blessed with 2 daughters: Suzette Beasley and Pamela Ferguson. He had 5 grandchildren: Shannan, Renee, Jeff, Jason and Nathan.
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