Page 89 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine

ARMY
WWII

DALLAS

airfield. It remained in Allied control for the rest of reserves, including WWII and the Berlin Crisis, Tom
the war. Tom recalls, "The Japanese, the jungle heat, retired as a Major.
monsoons, dysentery, and other diseases, as well
as walking and traveling through extremely high Tom, his wife Earlene, and his son, Tom, attended
mountains, made the mission to capture Myitkyina several Merrill's Marauders reunions, connecting
more challenging than I thought it would be." with other men who also served in Northern
Burma. Sharing stories,
When Tom left the hospital, he swapping photos, and
rejoined his squad in Northern honoring their service, as
Burma for the 500-mile well as honoring those
march to Camp Landis on the who gave their lives
Burma Road to keep supply were the hallmarks of
lines moving. The Burma the reunions. In 2012,
Road was by then opened to Tom participated in
supply Chinese troops, and the American Airlines
his assignment was to drive a sponsored "Honor Flight
truck over the mountainous for Veterans" to visit
road. While taking a load the WWII Memorial in
of tires over the crowded, Washington, D. C.
twisting, harrowing route,
Tom's truck slipped over the Tom spent 34 years as a
edge and overturned down a petroleum engineer for
steep embankment. Luckily, the tires cushioned the the Department of Energy. He published industry-
cab, and he walked away without a scratch. leading papers, attended conferences world-wide, and
retired in 1984 as the Chief of the Dallas office.
Tom’s family had moved to Lubbock in 1941. He’d
received his draft notice on September 15, 1943, Tom and his wife, Earlene, celebrated their 74th
while attending Lubbock High School. After being anniversary this year. Together, they raised four
inducted into the Army, he received training at Ft. children and have seven grandchildren and thirteen
Sill, Oklahoma and Ft. Walters, Texas. All of Tom's great-grandchildren.
WWII active duty service was in Northern Burma
and India. His WWII awards include the Asiatic
Pacific Campaign Medal with four Bronze Stars, Good
Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, Victory
Ribbon, three Overseas Service Bars, and the Purple
Heart. herrin

Tom returned home to Lubbock and married his
sweetheart, Gladys Earlene Judd, on February 22, h real estate
1946. A junior at Texas Technological College, Earlene
said she would marry him if he would also earn ron herrin broker
a college degree. Tom graduated with a Bachelor
of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Texas 806.773.6512
Technological College. While at Tech, he joined ROTC ronherrin1@gmail.com
h Senior Link 89
and received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in
the Army Reserves. After 21 years of active duty and