By this time Tom had set his eyes on West Point, largely the result of his brother’s appointment to USMA, as well as his association with the Cavalry children, some the offspring of graduates and all indoctrinated with the Academy spirit. He prepared for the big step at Stanton Preparatory Academy in Cornwall, New York, and was lucky enough to find an appointment the first time around, entering on 1 July 1939. Academics came easily to him, giving him time for gymnastics, which brought him his numeral, monogram, and an “A.” It also gave him time for Kathleen Slater of Cornwall. With many of his classmates, Tom was on his way to flight training shortly after the Class of ’42 graduated, winning membership in the caterpillar club when a companion chewed the tail of his plane off. He won his wings at Victoria, Texas, in December 1942, returning to West Point in time to graduate. His marriage to Kathie followed posthaste, accompanied by the ignominy of having to have parental permission since he was still ten days shy of twenty-one.

His career started with the rapid changes of station typical of the war years — Craig Field, Alabama; Orlando, Florida; Westover Field, Massachusetts. He reported to the 377th Fighter Squadron, 462d Group, for three more rapid changes of station before leaving for England in late November 1943. Equipped with the P-47, the group initially flew escort missions with bombers of the Eighth Air Force. During this duty he made his second forced jump and earned his first Purple Heart. By March he was the squadron operations officer and a captain, and June 1944 found him flying flak suppression missions during the invasion of France. The citation for his Silver Star (he was recommended for a higher decoration) noted his fearless attack on a German position in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire that forced the balance of the group to turn back, leaving him alone to continue the attack. For the balance of the war he flew in support of Patton’s Third Army, across France and into Germany.

Tom was briefly a POW in March 1945, only ten days, but it brought a couple of hair-raising experiences. His plane on fire, he was forced to jump. He was captured by a German civilian, with what he described as a big axe, who turned him over to a military police detachment in the town where his burning plane had ignited the burgomaster’s house. He spent the rest of the day with little attention for his burns, as the angry local populace howled for his blood. That night he was taken to a nearby military hospital, where he was turned over to American medics. When American artillery started falling in the vicinity, the Germans decamped, leaving the POWs, including French and Polish officers who had been prisoners for years. The episode ended when U.S. infantrymen burst into a cellar to which the patients has been moved.

Tom’s 362nd Fighter Group, on V-E Day, was among the units designated for redeployment to the Pacific. On V-J Day they were aboard ship, reaching the States on 5 September 1945: of course, the redeployment never happened. Tom returned as a twenty–three-year-old lieutenant colonel, wearing the Silver Star, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, 23 Air Medals, two Purple Hearts, and the Croix de Guerre with Palm.

Return to CONUS brought return to rapid changes of station — Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina; Biggs Field, Texas; Santa Ana, California; ending with temporary duty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and assignment as an instructor in the Department of Mechanics in January 1946. Daughter Judith joined the clan at West Point in March 1947.

Tom reported to Moses Lake, Washington, in August 1949, once again a squadron commander, this time with the 317th Fighter Interceptor Wing. The balance of his career was to be spent, like this one, in air defense. Moses Lake proved to be far from an Eden; no quarters were available, only a trailer with no hot water. Mercifully, the unit was transferred the following April to McChord AFB, where son Thomas H. Jr. was born. Leaving there after a year, Tom was promoted to colonel, the youngest in the Air Force, en route to Ladd AFB, Alaska, where he briefly assumed command of a squadron before being transferred in November 1951 to the 57th Fighter Interceptor Group at Elmendorf AFB.

Return to the contiguous states in 1953 took him to Hamilton AFB, California, in the operations division of Western Air Defense Force, his first staff assignment, for which he was awarded the Commendation Medal. Graduation from the Air War College in 1957 was followed by a tour as Air Force member of the Chairman’s Staff Group, Joint Chiefs of Staff. Completion of the National War College in 1962 preceded his first international duty as deputy for operations, Northern NORAD Region, North Bay, and Ontario. His mother pinned on his first star at Colorado Springs prior to a transfer to Goose Bay, Labrador, to command the air defense sector there. This tour furthered his international experience since he was responsible for installations in Greenland as well as Canada. He must have been a born diplomat, impressing the Danes to the extent that he and Kathie were guests of the royal family.

Returning to the States, he became commander of the 73rd Air Division at Tyndall AFB, Florida (1965–66), and vice commander of the Fourteenth Air Force at Gunter AFB, Alabama (1966–67). Again involved in international relations, Tom reported to his last assignment as chief of staff, AIRSOUTH, Naples, during the summer of 1967. He thoroughly enjoyed his time in Italy, but need for medical attention took him to Germany. He drove the Masserati acquired at Naples, accompanied by Kathie. During the early morning of 31 January 1968, he and Kathie left a friend’s home after a visit. Something distracted Kathie’s attention. The next thing she knew she was lying on the autobahn median, the car a wreck and Tom unconscious. Kathie was taken to the U.S. Army Hospital, Heidelberg, Tom to the University of Heidelberg Hospital, where he died on 5 February 1968 as the result of massive head injuries. We will never know just what caused him to lose control of the car. Posthumously Tom was awarded the Legion of Merit.

A born pilot who loved to fly, practically any time Tom was on board an aircraft he was the pilot, even as a general, sometimes to the astonishment of junior officers. He rarely had to search for a reason to justify flying time. He was equally qualified as a leader. The Air Force and the nation lost an outstanding officer in his untimely death. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his daughter, Judy Sullivan; his son, Thomas H. Jr.; three grandchildren; and his brother, Lieutenant Colonel John P. Beeson, Class of 1942.