More detail on this person: Thomas Edward Bowen, born March 29, 1940 to Edward D. and Betty
Basford Bowen in Marion, Ohio, passed away March 4, 2014 of a heart attack in his sleep due to
complications from COPD.
After graduatIng from Harding High school, Marion Ohio he enlisted in the Navy for four years,
performing aircraft maintenance aboard the USS Ranger. When his enlistment was served he moved to
Columbus, Ohio where he attended Ohio State Univ. while also learning to fly. It was there that he
met and married Sue Cole of Columbus in 1963. They had two children, David Andrew and Diane Elaine.
In 1964 Tom enlisted in the U.S. Army to become a helicopter pilot. Following his completion of
training he was sent to Vietnam and was a pilot in a "HUEY" helicopter, stationed in Soc Trang
province. Returning from Vietnam he spent many years in the Army reserve.
He and the family relocated to San Diego, CA in 1975 where he entered Western State School of Law,
receiving a Juris Doctorate.
In 1977 he moved to Fallbrook, CA. He started working for General Dynamics and retired from General
Dynamics as a areospace engineer.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Sue, his sister, Judy Velandra and nephew
John Velandra.
He is survived by his second wife, Ardis, since 1977; his two children, Diane Hicks (David) of TN,
and son, David Bowen; as well as grandchildren, Brittany and Zachary Hicks and Christine and Michael
Bowen; and great grandchildren, Nicholas, Noah and Benjamin Dotson.
He will be interred at Fort Rosecrans cemetery and will join Sue overlooking the ocean. There will
be no service. He is missed very much by all who knew and loved him.
Published in the The Marion Star on Mar. 30, 2014
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association