SUMPTER, THOMAS W.
Deceased 02/26/95

Name: Thomas W. Sumpter
Rank/Branch: O4/United States Air Force, EWO
Unit: 41st TEWS
Date of Birth: 23 July 1928 [Nashville]
Home City of Record: Nashville TN
Date of Loss: 14 January 1968
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 193300 North 1043300 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Missions:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: EB66C

Other Personnel in Incident: Pilot, Sonnie Mercer, escaped/evaded/rescued
but died from injuries; INST NAV, Pete Pedroli, escaped/evaded/rescued;
EWO Thomas Sumpter, returnee; EWO Ronald Lebert, returnee; EWO Hubert
Walker, returnee; NAV, Irby Terrell, returnee.

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV


SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO

THOMAS W. SUMPTER
Lieutenant Colonel - United States Air Force
Shot Down: January 14, 1968
Released: March 14, 1973

Colonel Sumpter was born July 23, 1928 in Nashville, Tennessee. He attended
Vanderbilt University, in Nashville prior to entering the Air Force as an
aviation cadet in August 1952. Colonel Sumpter was commissioned a second
lieutenant in May 1954.

While on active duty he obtained his B.S. degree in mathematics from Florida
State University and his Master's in Engineering Management from the
University of Southern California. He was stationed in Guam, Germany, and
England, serving in a number of assignments until his tour of duty to SEA on
December 17, 1967. He was assigned to the 41st Tac Elect Warfare Squadron,
Takhli AB, Thailand, when on a combat mission over North Vietnam on January
14, 1968, his EB-66C aircraft was struck by hostile fire, forcing him to
eject. Colonel Sumpter was subsequently captured and interned.

The Colonel's wife, Betty J. Sumpter, and four children, Carol W., 15, Nancy
E., 12, Robert E.,10, and Thomas A., 11, reside at Holloman AFB, New Mexico.

Colonel Sumpter says, "If you have wondered why we-hardened, professional
soldiers - have gotten off the airplanes at every stop across the Pacific,
babbling about faith in our country and shouting "GOD BLESS AMERICA," - the
answer is very simple. We mean it! That is how we feel and that is what we
believe.

I am proud of America. I am proud of you. I am proud to be one of you.

"And I will say again what I said when I arrived at Sheppard - because it
expresses my feelings at this moment as it did then - it's good to be home...
and THANK GOD I'M AN AMERICAN!!"

1997
Tom Sumpter is deceased.

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