Dr. Thomas R. Edmunds Jr., Lieutenant Colonel served as a helicopter aviator in the United States Marine Corps from 1963 until he retired in 1985. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in July 1963 and attended flight training as a Marine Aviation Cadette (MARCAD) in 1965. He completed carrier qualification on the USS Lexington in September 1965 and was designated as a Naval Aviator (T-9492) on January 11, 1966. He was assigned to helicopter squadrons in MCAS New River, Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1966.
Lieutenant Colonel Edmunds Jr.'s service to our country included two tours in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 and 1970-1971. He was assigned to helicopter squadrons in Vietnam for his first tour, and assigned to helicopter squadrons and infantry battalions during his second tour. He was then appointed to helicopter training squadron in California, 1968 – 1970. He was assigned to Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment (MARTD) at the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California from 1972-1976. From 1976 – 1977 he was assigned to helicopter squadrons in Okinawa Japan, Republic of the Philippines, and aboard ship. Lieutenant Colonel Edmunds Jr., received thirty-seven air medals including single mission air medals. He has over 3,000 flight hours in CH-46's, H-34's, AH-1G Cobras and OV-10A's.
Dr. Edmunds, Jr. was born in 1945 in Throop, New York. He was raised on a 150 acre dairy farm. He attended Port Byron Elementary School through 8th grade. His family moved to Auburn, New York in 1959. He graduated from East High School in 1963. He earned his Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees. He married the love of his life on January 22, 1966 and they have four adult children and nine grandchildren. He retired from military service in January 1985, as a Lieutenant Colonel and continued a long career working with USMC on Combat ID and with the Naval Air Systems Command developing aviation training simulators for the Navy and Marine Corps. He's an avid reader, enjoys boating and fishing, and spending time with his family.
Dr. Thomas R. Edmunds Jr., Lieutenant Colonel USMC RET is a patriot, a leader, a helicopter enthusiast, proud Marine, husband, father, grandfather, and a hero.