Thomas J. Lennon

From birth to death, Tom Lennon bore witness to and participated in the evolution of the United States Air Force. As the son of a decorated combat fighter pilot and then as a combat fighter pilot, program lead, Wing Commander, and General, Tom Lennon was present for, and led, some of the most transformational events in the U.S. Air Force in the last three-quarters of a century. While the Air Force suited Tom Lennon’s sense of adventure, the call to serve was first answered by Tom’s father, John Lennon. John was stationed with the US Army in Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor. John attended pilot training and was sent first to North Africa and then Europe. When he returned to the United States, he had flown the most P-51 hours of any US pilot at the time. He had also acted as a flight instructor for the renowned Tuskegee Airmen. As John patrolled the skies above Europe, his wife, Alice (Ventura) took their newborn son Tom by boat from Hawaii to California, then to New York to be with John's family. This was the first time Alice had left the Hawaiian Islands. At the end of World War II, John and the family relocated, this time to Japan during the reconstruction. Tom Lennon maintained strong memories throughout his life of canned food and the scarcity existing in Japan following the War. John joined the first jet squadron and helped usher in a new era for the Air Force. During the Korea War, John flew combat reconnaissance missions in the F-86. During his father’s military career, Tom attended over a dozen schools graduating from Rockville High School in Connecticut, where John and Alice had retired. Tom matriculated at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, graduating in 1965. He was dating Lynn Schweir of South Windsor, CT, who he would marry two years later. Following in the footsteps of his father, Tom had gone to pilot training (Moody AFB, GA, and MacDill AFB, FL) and then volunteered for two tours in Vietnam, completing 401 combat missions over Southeast Asia in the F-4 Phantom. Tom was later stationed in Langley, Virginia with the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing where he was selected as part of an elite cadre of F-15 pilots. After leaving Langley, Tom was stationed in at the Pentagon leading the implementation of cutting-edge Advanced Programs; to include, coordinating the activities of pilots and jets at Area 51 in a project that would later be designated the F-117. Tom left the Pentagon for Europe to transition legacy F-4s in Spain and Germany to the newly acquired F-16s. Tom became the Group Commander at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. Tom then became the Wing Commander of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, where he led 5,000 airmen and seventy-two F-111Fs. While Tom was in charge of the 48th TFW, Iraq invaded Kuwait setting off a chain of events that led to Desert Shield. Tom led the first wave of the 48th's aircraft to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In a remarkable and historic moment, Tom was in a limousine with then-Secretary of State James Baker when the final consultation with the Saudi and Kuwaiti royal families had concluded that a peaceful resolution was no longer a viable option. Secretary Baker turned to Tom and said, "Now it's your turn.” The next night Desert Shield turned into Desert Storm as Commander Tom Lennon led sixty F-111Fs through the night sky to downtown Baghdad to attack airfields and bridges. The F-111F's provided pinpoint accuracy with laser-guided bombs. After decimating Iraq's airfields and bridges, the 48th moved to a new mission -- tank plinking. A February 2016 article in Air Force Magazine, titled "Flexibility in the Storm," recognized Tom Lennon's leadership during the first night of this new strategy. "By late February, the F-111F's were achieving up to 150 armor kills per night. At their peak, the F-111s were destroying Iraqi armor seven times faster than the (tank killing) A-10s." At the end of the war, the 48th was instrumental in stopping the free flow of oil into the Persian Gulf. As Saddam Hussein’s armies fled Kuwait, they set oil rigs on fire. The F-111Fs of the 48th dropped precision bombs on the water-based oil platforms to stop the oil spills. The 48th ended the war as the most highly decorated Air Force unit. Following the Gulf War, Tom stood up the Military-to-Military Program, where Tom and his team worked with the former Soviet Block Countries’ militaries to minimize instability and encourage democracy. The team developed lasting relationships amongst the military leadership across 20+ participating countries. Military leaders often highlight this program’s success and attribute it to strengthening NATO and helping provide the lasting peace the region has enjoyed since its inception. Tom ended his military career in September of 1996 retiring as a Brigadier General with 410 combat missions. He had also accumulated 3,000 flight hours in 7 different military aircraft. Also, of note, is the F-111F that Tom flew in Desert Storm is on display at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH and bears his name. While General Lennon will always be a military hero to those who knew him, he will be better known as a world-class Grandfather. Tom got his most joy from his six grandchildren; Thomas Lennon III, Jackson Lennon, Jay Lennon, Kylie Lennon, Dailey Lennon and Leon Lennon. He loved to transfer his passions to his grandkids, like fishing, by taking them deep sea fishing or simply using a rod and reel off the dock. He always came bearing “treasures” from his most recent trips. Without fail, Tom made the effort to be there for his grandchildren’s big events; birthdays, middle school graduations, or important sporting events. Whether the grandchildren were in Japan, Europe, Mexico, Wisconsin or Colorado, Tom would be there. Tom also had a passion for travel and adventure. He visited all seven continents, walking with penguins in Antarctica, riding a yak in Tibet, and hiking Machu Picchu. Thomas "Tom" J. Lennon, aged 76, passed away on September 28th, 2018, in Milford, New Hampshire of cardiac arrest. Thomas Lennon’s passion for life will always be remembered by his loving wife of 52 years, Lynn, their two children, Col. Thomas Lennon Jr. (USAF Ret.) of Monument, CO and Timothy Lennon of DePere, WI, and daughters-in-law, Amie Lennon and Emily Lennon. He also leaves behind six grandchildren, sisters-in-law Karen Petraglia (Vaughn) of Manchester, NH and Barbara Gallaher of Nashua, NH and brother-in-law Leon R. Schweir Jr. of San Francisco, CA, as well as, nieces and nephew – Ellen Henningsen, Molly Boddy (Scott), Christina and Richard Schweir; and many wonderful and dear cousins throughout the country. Services will be held at Arlington National Cemetery.