I met Tommy shortly before he graduated. I enlisted in the Navy in September of 1965. Tommy enlisted in the Marine Corps a short time later. He served as a door gunner on a Huey helicopter for two tours in Vietnam. I was a Hospital Corpsman, and served as a combat medic with the Marines. We corresponded frequently between his Southeast Asian air base which was constantly under fire and my comfortable post at Camp Pendleton Medical Supply in Southern California. Tommy and I became fast friends after military service, and we were even roomates for a short time. We frequented the same haunts, and ran with the same group. I was the only HP guy among the Hillcrest folks in that circle of friends. I was up in New Hampshire doing research for a musical instrument shop when a friend in Dallas sent me a copy of his obituary. His friendship will always be with me.
Paula Williams
This posting is by my friend Chris Barker:
I met Tommy shortly before he graduated. I enlisted in the Navy in September of 1965. Tommy enlisted in the Marine Corps a short time later. He served as a door gunner on a Huey helicopter for two tours in Vietnam. I was a Hospital Corpsman, and served as a combat medic with the Marines. We corresponded frequently between his Southeast Asian air base which was constantly under fire and my comfortable post at Camp Pendleton Medical Supply in Southern California. Tommy and I became fast friends after military service, and we were even roomates for a short time. We frequented the same haunts, and ran with the same group. I was the only HP guy among the Hillcrest folks in that circle of friends. I was up in New Hampshire doing research for a musical instrument shop when a friend in Dallas sent me a copy of his obituary. His friendship will always be with me.
Chris Barker, Highland Park, Class of '60