Posted by William B. Tyree on January 29, 2014:

Thomas B. Tyree 1948 Cullum No. 16508 - Apr 22, 1987 - Died in New Milford, CT Interred in West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY ----------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Burdick Tyree was born in Detroit, MI, on 14 Mar 1925, to Harold B. Tyree and Lucile Greene Tyree. Raised in Grosse Pointe, MI, Tom attended the Cranbrook School, where he lettered in soccer, basketball, and baseball. After nine months as a private at the USMA Prep at Lafayette College, Tom was appointed to the Academy by Congressman Louis Rabaut of the Michigan 14th District and matriculated in July 1944. He became a star-man, in the top 2% of the original Class of 1947, played goalkeeper on the Plebe soccer team and rapidly graduated to the varsity. He was a natural goalie, able to cover a large part of the goal. His dedication led him to study the game continually and seek to perfect techniques that improved his play. It was not uncommon to see Tom leaping into the air across the Army goal to catch and save a hard shot headed toward the upper corner. With Tom defending its goal, Army defeated Navy two of his three Varsity years, and he was named an All-American. An all-around athlete, Tom also was an excellent skier and squash player. Soccer players are great with their feet and, while Tom dropped everything, nothing ever hit the ground. He caught everything (including his pen), on his instep! After World War II, the Class of 1947 was divided as the Academy resumed its normal four-year course, and Tom joined the Class of 1948. On graduation he ranked 36th in the class of 301, easily qualifying for assignment to Armor, and went off to branch school. Tom served with the 63rd Tank Battalion, the divisional tank battalion of the 1st Infantry Division, in Germany during 1949-52. After the Armor Advanced Class at Ft. Knox, Tom was off to Headquarters, Eighth Army in Korea, where he served as ground liaison officer with the Air Force. In 1956, Tom was assigned to the Sorbonne in Paris for a years study of French, and then on to the Academy, where he taught French during 1956-59. At this point, after ten years of bachelorhood, he got smart and married the lovely Joan Brophy of Scarsdale, NY. He completed Jump School and was a student at the Command & General Staff School at Ft. Leavenworth when Tom, Jr. came along, in 1961. Tom returned to Europe in 1961 as commander of the tank company of the Berlin Brigade. This was a unique assignment, in part because of the unusual situation of Berlin, which was then a Western enclave in Communist Germany, behind the Iron Curtain but still a relatively cosmopolitan city. It was also unique because of the proximity of the Russian Army. At one juncture in the "battle of nerves" around Checkpoint Charlie, there was an actual "dust-up" between the American troops in Berlin, including Tom and his tanks, and the surrounding Russians. It made an interesting picture on the front page of the New York Times. After two years in Berlin and the arrival of William, son number two, Tom and Joan moved to Paris. During this time, Tom was stationed at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), for a year as aide to GEN Parker, chief of staff. After Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk in 1965, Tom served during 1965-66 as secretary of the general staff at the Army Combat Development Command at Ft. Belvoir and greeted son number three, John, later to become a 1987 West Point graduate. In 1967 the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks primed Tom for assignment in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. He rejoined the 1st Infantry Division, where he commanded the division's armored Cavalry squadron, the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, known as the "Quarter Horse." Later, he was the executive officer of an Infantry brigade. During stints from 1968 to 1971 in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army in the Pentagon, the Tyrees said hello to son number four, David. Tom retired in 1971 as a colonel. Along the way, Tom was awarded the two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars, four Legions of Merit, 17 Air Medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm and many others attesting to his extensive and always outstanding service. During 1971-86, Tom worked for the Department of Transportation of New York State, during the last ten years as executive officer of the department. He was elected a trustee of the Association of Graduates in 1983 and re-elected in 1986. After the Tyrees moved to their retirement home in Pawling, NY, (the Brophy home in which they were married), Tom passed away on 22 Apr 1987. Joan joined him in 1990. Tom Tyree was a person who excelled in everything he did and worked hard to do it. With his always genial and relaxed personality, he made everyone who knew him comfortable in his presence. He was always warm, friendly, and smiling, with a wonderful sense of humor. A towering figure in life as well as in person, he exemplified the West Point code of Duty, Honor, Country. He was a fine guy, great to be with, and a warm and loving son and father. We all miss him. - Dick Stein & John Bellinger, classmates

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