Info Sheet - CW3 Tom Shirley
Died 20 June 2018
Comments from: Allen Allcock and Marvin Runyon.
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Allen Allcock: Tom Shirley, a CW4 retired, has passed away, Wednesday, June 20. 2018. He was a member of 3/4 Cav. in 1969-70 during his 2nd tour of duty as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.
He had recently moved to Florida a few weeks back where he was to undergo treatment for cancer of the lungs. No one in the family knew that he also had stage four cancer of the liver, and that is what took his life.
WO3, Mr. Shirley as I knew him in Vietnam, became "Tom" Shirley to me in my civilian life after the Vietnam service I did, but I kept up with him over the many years back in the 1970s-90s. I should be ashamed and am, that I never kept closer contact in the past 25 years. I have always said, I would not be alive today except for the actions of Tom Shirley.
I do not believe that Mr. Shirley was a member of the 3/4 Cav, Assoc. But, in my heart, he was a Cavalryman.
I have been in some correspondence over the years with one of his daughters, Micala Fendley, of Osage City, KS.
Marvin Runyon: I have served with and known Tom Shirley for more then 53 years.
I remember him in two different ways. First as SP/4 Shirley, 1965, Viet-Nam,
E Troop, 17th Cav. 173rd Airborne Brigade. SP/4 Shirley was always ready to
perform any duty asked of him. He was one person you could count on to complete
a task when assigned. I'm not sure when SP/4 Shirley left Viet-Nam the first time
but I know Viet-Nam was a better place when he departed then when he arrived.
Second was in 1970, I as signed to D Troop, 3/4 Cav. One of the first persons I met
was Tom Shirley. Not as a Specialist but as a Warrant Officer.
Was I surprised, you better believe it. Not that he was a Warrant Officer, but that I
would be serving with someone I knew and could trust to do his job. Tom worked in
the hanger and he and those working with him spent many, many hours as we slept
making sure our ship was safe.
This book will end with the following. You will only meet a small number of men like
Mr. TOM SHIRLEY. You will always remember and respect them as I do.