Memorial

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Pfc Tom graduated from Athens High School with the class of 1942 where he played football.

After graduation, he began working for the State Highway Department and during the summer and for the Goodyear Manufacturing Company in Akron until he enlisted at Fort Hayes, Ohio on 8 February 1942. He was sent overseas in February 1944.

Having made serveral jumps in England, he participated in an exhibition jump along with thousands of other paratroopers for Churchill and Eisenhower. He then participated in the D-Day invasion in France on 6 June 1944, going over with the first contingent at about 3 a.m.

After some 40 days at the front, his division was taken back to England for a rest period. Later they were jumped into Holland on 17 September 1944.

In a letter written just four days before he was killed, he described how the people of Holland had received them. The woman and children gave them peaches, apples, pears and cried thinking they were Gods, sent from Heaven to save them. He told of the windsmills, wooden shoes, etc. and how well they could speak English.

Pfc Orel Lev was on the machine gun with Pfc Ken A. Hull and Bernard B. Tom. The attack that was expected, came just after dark. A mortar shell hit their position. All three were killed instantly.

Pfc Tom was initially buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Molenhoek near Nijmegen in the Netherlands on the same day of his death. He was disinterred on 23 June 1948 and was given his final resting place at Margraten on 5 February 1949.