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At an early age, Tommy worked for a time as a machinist with Packard Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan, before moving to California. In California he was with the C.C.C. (Civilian Conservation Corps) before joining the Army. He joined the Army 28 January 1941 at Fort McArthur, California. He was sent to Camp Swift, Texas (near Elgin) in June 1941 and was with the 95th Division, 379th Infantry. He had joined for a one year tour of duty, but when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, he was not allowed to be discharged and had to remain on active duty.

On 28 November 1942, he married Muriel Wiley at Camp Swift. At that time, he was a Sergeant (Mess Sergeant, meaning a cook). He was later promoted to Staff Sergeant. Because of the escalating war, his group was sent to Louisiana for (once again) basic training. Because of some problem, he lost his rank and became a Private First Class. His group was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, near Waynesville, Missouri. Muriel was there with him for several months until his group was ordered overseas. Because he had astigmatism in his eyes, he had glasses prescribed for him. While waiting for his glasses, his group was sent overseas and he became part of another group, First Army, 4th Division, 8th Infantry, Company M.
He was in England for a time, then his outfit was sent in to fight on 26 June 1944, landing at Cherbourg, France. (The first landing by our men was 6 June 1944.) They landed at Utah Beach. There was heavy fighting and sometimes a lull in the fighting.

His outfit passed in or near Chartres and Paris. They were welcomed warmly by the French because they were grateful to be liberated. His letters to Muriel were, of course, censored, so he was not allowed to divulge his location or anything about what they were doing. If details were mentioned, they were cut out of the letter by censors. Instead of being a cook (the job he was trained for), he was put in a machine gun squad and was in heavy fighting. He said many of the Germans they killed were only young boys.

He hated being in the war and only wished to return home to Muriel and their expected baby (Tommy Sue). The last few letters Muriel received from him were from Germany. He was wounded 7 October 1944, and died the next day, 8 October 1944.
On 14 January 1945, his daughter was born in Elgin, Texas, Bastrop County.

She was a posthumous child, as she was born after her father’s death. Her mother, Muriel, named her Tommy Sue Blagg in honor of her father. Tommy Sue passed away of a heart attack on 9 September 1988, at age 43, leaving four sons.