From Bill Collier:
7/19/07
Tom Sullivan has died in the V.A. hospital in Meno Park this morning.
His wife Nancy called. There will be a service "some time in August".
Tom was a Marcad, from the fleet. At the time of his commissioning, he was one of the youngest officers in the USMC.
He flew H-46's in Viet Nam, making several heroic trips into hot zones to rescue downed Marines, then back in to recover the bodies of the aircrew of the
helicopter that was shot down in going in before him.For this he got a silver star. I knew Tom for decades, and never knew those details, nor did I know he had a closed head wound in Viet Nam, until recently.
He never talked about it.Please pass the word and I'll try to let everyone know when the service is to be.
Sempre Fi
Bill Collier
nancy's email is: cyberdaze@sti.net
Obit from Nanci Sullivan
Received from Nanci yesterday October 16, 2007:
Thomas J. Sullivan died on July 19, 2007 at a VA facility in Menlo Park, CA. His loving wife Nanci was at his side. Tom was born March 22, 1947 and lived in Tappan, NY. He was a graduate of Tappan Zee High School, Flight Training School, Pensacola, Fl. He has resided in California since 1969.
1st Lt. Tom served as a pilot in Vietnam first with the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-161 and later with the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (Purple Foxes). During his 13 month tour (1968-1969) he flew over 1,000 missions. Among the many medals he received are Distinguished Flying Crosses, Gold Star, Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. After returning from Vietnam Tom was promoted to Captain. He was a member of American Legion Post 474, Half Moon Bay, CA.
Tom is survived by his wife Nanci, his sisters Sr. Anne Sullivan, O.P., Sr. Mary Agnes Sullivan, O.P., Edna Ciganek & husband Mark, Eileen Kavanagh & husband John brothers Cornelius, Patrick & wife Kathleen, Leonard & wife Linda, Michael, Brendan & wife Debbie. Also his God-daughter Susan Sullivan, mother-in law Lucile Poller, sister–in-law Jeri Poller, and many loving nieces and nephews. Tom is predeceased by his parents Leonard & Mary Edna Sullivan and brother Hugh Sullivan.
Tom will be buried with his parents, in St. Catharine’s Cemetery, Blauvelt, NY. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Tappan, NY on September 22, 2007 at 11:30 A.M.
Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of St. Dominic, One Ryerson Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006 or the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Avenue, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018.