There are those who very much fear
Friday the 13th. It is called
paraskevidekatriaphobia. The 2025 Parade
Marshal for the Woodsville Wells River 4th
of July celebration has reason to fear that
date, or at least not like it. It was Friday,
December 13, 1965 that Tom Sullivan
received his draft notice for the US Army.
Tom was already out of high school and had
earned his electrician's license. He ws
working full time in his home town of
Cambridge, Massachusetts when that
notification arrived.
He spent his first year in the US Army at
Fort Lewis in the State of Washington. First
for basic training and then for his AIT. After
training he joined many others in the Viet
Nam conflict as a member of the US Army
Infantry. Tom was in the country for nine months when he got a short R&R
break in Hong Kong. Upon his return he and another solider were ordered to
take a troop transport truck out into the field to retrieve their fellow soldiers. It
was then that his truck hit a land mine in the road. It turns out that the land
mine was US made and had actually been left from the Korean conflict. It had
been dug up and replanted on this particular road. Though Tom was not
driving the truck he did suffer some injuries, but he requested to stay with his
fellow soldiers and did not get transferred to Japan for further treatment.
Upon Tom's return to the US he returned to his work as an electrician. He
eventually took a position as the head of maintenance at Cambridge Housing
Authority where he worked for 17 years.
In the mid 80's Tom traveled north to New Hampshire in order to get a
Christmas Tree, and according to him, he never went back. He already had
relatives in the area and made the choice to leave a job where he made good
money, but did not always agree with his bosses. So Tom started his own
business. Tom retired once he got a handle on being in his 70's and now still
enjoys small building projects.
Tom also continues to be an active member of Ross-Wood Post #20
American Legion in Woodsville. He had originally joined a post in
Cambridge, and then in Littleton, but Woodsville became his home. He has
served as Commander, Sr. Vice Commander, Jr. Vice Commander, Judge
Advocate and is still serving on both the Executive and House Committees.
Tom was voted Legionnaire of the Year and was awarded a plaque in 2024.
The Woodsville Wells River 4th of July Committee is pleased to honor Tom
Sullivan of Woodsville as the 2025 Parade Marshal. less...
