Thomas Galloway was born in Oswego, New York and served in the Korean War with the 187th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne.
The Korean Conflict is often referred to as “the forgotten war” but not for Tom Galloway or the thousands of young men that were there.
Tom recalled that there were lots of scary and harassing night patrols with heavy artillery shelling and mortar fire. He was in a Mash Hospital Tent and had to tell the Red Cross what to say when notifying his parents that he was wounded but would be okay.
It was a pretty low time for him also thinking about how the news of his Sgt, Andy Leon getting killed after 12 years in the Airborne and how it would it would affect his wife and two kids back home.
General William Westmoreland came to the MASH Hospital Tent to visit the wounded and sat on Tom’s bed and asked him to tell him what had happened. The General told Tom that he was putting him in for the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism! Tom received the Medal, authorized by President Eisenhower and later received the NYS Conspicuous Service Cross.
Tom believes that the military service greatly enhanced his life. The discipline has always stayed with him. His hometown of Oswego began a program lining the main street with “TREES FOR VETS” with a bronze plaque recognizing each veteran.
~ Jenny La Sala
Author, Contributor and Editor
www.JennyLasala.com