HACKNEY   HALL, CHARLES   HALL, ROBERT   HAMBRICK   HAMER   HANDGRAAF   HARDEE   HARRIS, JAMES   HARRIS, JOHN   HARRISON   HARTLEY   HARTMAN   HARTSTEIN   HARVEY   HATCH   HAYES   HEETER   HEFFERON   HEITSCH   HEITZ, RICHARD   HEITZ, THOMAS   HENJUM   HENRY   HERNDON   HICKS   HIGH   HILSON   HINTON   HODGES   HOLLER   HOLLOMAN   HOUSTON   HOWARD   HURT   INGRAM   IRViN   JABLONSKI   JACOBS   JOHNSON, L.   JUDY   KAVANAGH   KELLEY, ALEX   KELLEY-KESLER-PEIXOTTO   KELLY   KENNEDY   KEY   KILGORE   KIRKHART   KIRKPATRICK   KISSINGER   KLINKERT   KNAACK   KNAPP   KOECHER   KOEHLER   KOMICH   LABRADOR   LACKEY   LANGE, GERALD   LANGE, MAURICE   LANGE, WILLIAM   LARKIN   LARSON   LAUT   LAWLOR   LEAZENBY   LEE   LEWIS, EDWIN   LEWIS, JORDAN   LILLY   LINGLE   LONG   LOVRIEN   LUNDY   LUTTRELL   LUTZ   LYNN   MADIGAN   MACDONALD   MAGEE   MAJORS   MALTZ   MANGRUM   MANGUM   MARBERRY   MARKHAM   MARTIN   MARTINEZ   MASON   MATHEWS   MAYO   MAZUR   MCCASKILL   MCCLELLAN   MCCOMB, PAUL   MCCOMB, ROBERT   MCDANIEL, JOHN   MCDANIEL, WYMAN   MCGEORGE   MCGOVERN   MCKEE   MCKINLEY   MCKINNEY II   MCLAUGHLIN   MCSWEENEY   MERCHANT   MERRITT   MICHELSEN   MIGIA   MIKA   MIKULSKI   MILLS   MODICA   MONROE   MONTGOMERY   MOORE, B   MOORE, H   MOORE, J   MORGAN   MORSE   MOYERS   MUDD   MULLEN   MURDOCK   MURTHA   MUSNICKI   NABORS   NEAL   NEALE, PHILLIP   NEGRETTE   NEHL   NEVILLE   NUPEN   O'GORMAN   OLIVER   O'MARA   ORR   PALMER   PARKER   PARKS   PEAK   PEEKE   PEISHER   PHELEN   PHILLIPS   PILUTTI   PINARD   PINAUD   PIROUTEK   PONCE   POOL   POWERS   PRUETT   PYEATT  


Thomas "Tom" E. Mason

Final Flight on March 20, 1996


Thomas "Tom" E. Mason


THOMAS E. MASON


Thomas E. Mason was part of my first flight crew. We flew almost all missions together when I first arrived at NKP. Tom helped me out when I first arrived in NKP. I was with Tom the first time I was shot at, the first time I went to the Ville, and the first time I flew across the trail.

 

I found out about ten years ago that Tom was living in Liberty, TX. When I went there to surprise him I was hit with a big surprise. I found out that Tom had died on March 20, 1996.


Roger Veillon

6 Feb. 2007



THOMAS E. MASON


I remember Tom first as a friend, a friend I made while serving in the USAF helicopter family. I also remember Tom as a warrior serving our country as a combat helicopter flight engineer on CH-3E helicopters with the 21st Special Operations Squadron, Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand in 1969 and 1970. Tom was a man who worked hard and played hard. He had a great sense of humor which he could display in all sorts of situations. Tom and I did not fly together on a regular basis, but as I remember we did have a few missions together. I knew with Tom on the helicopter, that I was flying with a skilled professional, who knew his job and knew our mission. I knew I was flying with one of the best.

 

As our tours ended and we were re-assigned to different bases, I lost track of Tom and didn’t see him again until about 1973 when I was part of a crew sent to Edwards AFB, CA to pick up a drone recovery modified CH-3E (MARS) and deliver it to Tyndall AFB, FL. As part of our check out in this helicopter we participated in two or three mid-air drone recoveries. Tom was part of the experienced crew giving us our ride. I remember how easily and skillfully Tom went about his duties to recover the drones. He made everything look easy and right in the middle of some tense moment, he would give you one of the biggest smiles. This trip to Edwards AFB would be the last time I saw Tom.

 

I have learned in the last few days the Tom passed away in Texas in 1996.

 

Tom was part of our family, the USAF helicopter family and although he never had the opportunity to join our group of ‘Rotorheads’, I know he was certainly eligible and had he been with us now, I feel certain he would have joined.

 

I’m proud to have known Tom, proud to have served with him, proud to have had him as a friend.

 

Jim Burns

February 06, 2007



       



"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

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"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY


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