Tom grew up in Centralia, IL, the son of a coal miner. He initially worked for Shell Oil company as a roughneck, then later as a draftsman before enlisting in the Army in April of 1942, with an initial assignment of Military Police. He attended OCS from Dec 1942 until Mar 43 when he was commissioned 2LT in Coastal Artillery.



He entered pilot training at Santa Anna Army Airbase CA in Dec 43 and continued as follows:



Preflight Santa Anna Army Air Base Santa Anna, CA

Primary 11th AAFTD (Army Air Force Training Detachment) Tucson, AZ

Basic AAAF Marana, AZ

Advanced TE 3017 AAFBU (Army Air Force Base Unit) Pecos, TX

B-17 3017 AAFBU Hobbs, TX

Phase Training B-17 223 AAFBU Dyersburg, TN

Phase Training B-17 223 AAFBU Dyersburg,TN

Phase Training B-17 330 AAFBU Dyersburg, TN



He completed B-17 training on 20 Mar 1945 and proceeded to RAF Rattlesden on 8 April 1945, being assigned first to the 7th Bombardment Squadron of the 44th Bombardment Group, then to the 861st Bombardment Squadron Heavy of the 493 Bombardment Group at RAF Debach and returned to CONUS with them on 7 July 1945.



He was riffed in October of 1946 and reenlisted in enlisted status with the intent of completing a career and retiring. In January of 1951, he was recalled, serving until he was riffed again in January of 1958 and returned to enlisted status until his retirement on 1 May 1966.



Tom was married twice, and has three children.



He died on 27 November 2013 of lung cancer in the Oklahoma City VA hospital. He was survived by his second wife, Loretta Hern Rethard, and three children, Thomas Dwight Jr, Blaine Edwin, and Raegan Ann.