After graduating from Corona Senior High School in June of 1965, Tom chose enlistment over being drafted and entered the United States Army on November 16, 1965. He attended basic training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, and was then sent to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, to attend AIT for Construction Machine Operator.
While serving in Vietnam, Tom was assigned to the 864th Engineers at Cam Ranh Bay, which was part of the 35th Engineer Group and 18th Engineer Brigade. The 864th was responsible for quarry and asphalt operations. Tom was reassigned to the 102nd Engineers after they took over quarry and asphalt operations, and it was there that he volunteered for the quarry demo team. After his tour in Vietnam, Tom was stationed at Ft. Irwin, California, until he was honorably discharged from the Army in December 1968.
After his military service, Tom was employed as a cement finisher with U.S. Pipe Foundry, in Riverside, California, for more than ten years. Tom passed away on June 23, 1984, in Corona, California, at the age of thirty-seven years old. At the time of his passing, Tom was survived by his parents, one brother, one sister, and his two young daughters.
After graduating from Corona Senior High School in June of 1965, Tom chose enlistment over being drafted and entered the United States Army on November 16, 1965. He attended basic training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, and was then sent to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, to attend AIT for Construction Machine Operator.
While serving in Vietnam, Tom was assigned to the 864th Engineers at Cam Ranh Bay, which was part of the 35th Engineer Group and 18th Engineer Brigade. The 864th was responsible for quarry and asphalt operations. Tom was reassigned to the 102nd Engineers after they took over quarry and asphalt operations, and it was there that he volunteered for the quarry demo team. After his tour in Vietnam, Tom was stationed at Ft. Irwin, California, until he was honorably discharged from the Army in December 1968.
After his military service, Tom was employed as a cement finisher with U.S. Pipe Foundry, in Riverside, California, for more than ten years. Tom passed away on June 23, 1984, in Corona, California, at the age of thirty-seven years old. At the time of his passing, Tom was survived by his parents, one brother, one sister, and his two young daughters.
Inscription
THOMAS M. SUSHINSKY
PVT U S ARMY
VIETNAM