This information is carved into the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.
TOMMY ANDREW WALDON
Marine Corps - CPL - E4
Age:20
Race:Caucasian
Sex:Male
Date of Birth Dec 18, 1947
From:HOBART, INDIANA
Religion:PROTESTANT
Marital Status:Single
CPL - E4 - Marine Corps - Regular
Length of service 2 years
His tour began on Sep 23, 1966
Casualty was on Mar 20, 1968
In QUANG NGAI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body was recovered
These pictures were obtained from: https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/54048/TOMMY-A-WALDON/. The pictures below are from the 1965 HHS Memories yearbook, with the caption, "Lost under a flowered hat, Donna Wood sneaks up behind gangster Tom Walden [sic] in an attempt to knock him out."
From the Gary Post-Tribune, courtesy of Karen Yarsh:
COMMENT FROM CLASSMATE SYLVIA ZON GRIFFIN:
I knew Tommy since first grade. I still have a group picture of that class. Tommy lived in my neighborhood and was one of the sweetest boys I've ever known. I think of you often Tommy. Rest in peace my dear friend.
Fred Higgenbottom (1966)
Tom and I endured the agony of two a day football practices in the dust bowl under coach Barber and competed fiercely for the position of starting offensive center on the 1962 Hobart Junior High School football team. We also competed athletically while in High School. Tom was a tough and committed athlete and a through and through Brickie with a somewhat shy personality. However, around the football team he was more relaxed and open. I was proud to have called Tom my friend. Thanks for your service old friend. It's so sad that you made the supreme sacrifice and never got to enjoy the life, love and family that you so richly deserved. RIP!