Tommy graduated from North Little Rock High School's Ole Main campus in 1976. After six years active duty in the U.S. Army, he returned home to find a job as an aircraft technical inspector at the Arkansas National Guard's flight facility at Camp Robinson and he logged a total of 27 years military service for the country he loved so much. He spent weekends swimming and fishing at Lake Nimrod on camping trips and attended the youth group at Amboy Baptist Church and often made trips to Ashley County to go hunting for deer or squirrels. His father was a clown with the Shriners' Scimitar unit in Little Rock, and as a child he enjoyed traveling with him all decked out in the Shriner clown uniform, just tagging along for fun. The clown outfits, special clown vehicles and motorcycles left their mark upon Tom and you seldom saw him without a smile on his face, and he also developed a love for motorcycles. Tommy was also a Mason and served in 1999 as Past Master of Big Rock Lodge #33 in Levy, the same leadership position his late father held twice. He was a deacon and former Sunday school director at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship and was very faithful and committed to his church and treated every kid like his own. He was always happy and an exceptional father who was devoted to his wife and a very religious man and he wasn't afraid to go or to be sent in harm's way, and that it was just part of wearing the uniform and his duty to the community and nation. He was 49.


1st Battalion,
185th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault),
77th Aviation Brigade,
Camp Robinson , Arkansas

***A memorial to the crew and passengers of Easy 40 can be found at Section 60, Site 8051 in Arlington National Cemetery. Easy 40