This Military Service Page was created/owned by
MAJ Mark E Cooper
to remember
Hackler, Thomas M., Sr., 1SG USA(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Athens
Date of Passing Dec 26, 2011
Location of Interment Fairview Memorial Gardens - Stockbridge, Georgia
Thomas M. Hackler Sr., 66, passed away on Monday, December 26, 2011, at Parkwest Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was born on April 10, 1945, in Sparta, Tennessee the son of the late Charlie M. and Francis E. (Revell) Hackler. He married the former Cheryl Gardner on June 6, 1966, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and she survives. Other survivors include one daughter and son in law: Vielka and Jerry Wilcox of Minneapolis, Minnesota, two sons and a daughter in law: Thomas and Tina Hackler Jr. of East Alton, Illinois, David Hackler and his partner: Mike Volkenant of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, six grandchildren: Luke and Katrina Schlusser, Lori Jo, Mary, Tommy, and Ben Hackler, one great granddaughter: Ella, one sister and brother in law: Amy and Ricky Puckett of Jonesboro, Georgia, one brother: Joe Hackler of Athens, Tennessee.
He retired from the United States Army after serving for 20 years. He served three tours in Germany and two tours in Vietnam earning a Silver Star and three Bronze Stars. He taught JROTC at Cretin High School in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was a member of the Bethalto American Legion Post #214 and the Wood River VFW Post #2859. He was the Memorial Team Leader and the Historian specializing in Vietnam era profiles for togetherweserved.com.
He was preceded in death by three sisters: Patsy, Betty Jean, Helen, four brothers: Calvin, Buford, Chuck, and Randy.
In celebration of his life, memorial visitation will be from 12pm until time of memorial services at 2pm on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Pitchford Funeral Home in Wood River. Full military honors will be conducted by the Ritual Team of VFW Post 1308 of Alton.
Memorials are suggested to the family and will be accepted at the funeral home. All memorials that are accepted will be given to togetherweserved.com in remembrance of him. Memorials in his name may be mailed to Pitchford Funeral Home, P.O. Box 626, Wood River, Illinois 62095.
I was in the Infantry For 17 years and went to the Artillery as a 13F40
and made 1SG. Two tours in Viet Nam.
Mac- V Team 99 '' 25 th ARVN Recon
operations (ones I Know of). Ben Luc, Luong- Hoa, Duc. - Hoa, Chi,Tan My, Tay Ninh, Doc Hoa 3d Corp , Chu Chi, and Dong Ha (DMZ) Quang Tri
Laos Border, Rubber Plantation
Hill 151 (LZ Chloe)
23d Americal E Co. 2d Bn 1st Inf. 196th LIB. / 11th LIB DMZ to Da Nang
EOD School 23d Americal Div. 120 hours
Vietnamese language School Ft Bliss TX.
First Sergeant School Ft Bliss TX. Class 5-83
I have had a very Good Life. (Not done yet). The Best of my Life was being Military
working with good Troopers and having good Leadership that
maded me Strong. People I will never forget.
I Salute you and say ''Thank you. Job well DONE.
Description This campaign was from 1 July to 30 November 1971. This period witnessed additional progress in the Vietnamization program which included turning over the ground war to South Vietnam, sustaining the withdrawal of U.S. troops, but also continuing, U.S. air strikes on enemy targets.
South Vietnam assumed full control of defense for the area immediately below the demilitarized zone on 11 July, a process begun in 1969. Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird announced completion of Phase I of Vietnamization on 11 August which meant that the U.S. relinquished all ground combat responsibilities to the Republic of Vietnam. The participation of U.S. forces in ground combat operations had not ceased, however, U.S. maneuver battalions were still conducting missions, and the 101st Airborne Division joined the 1st Army of Vietnam 1st Infantry Division in Operation JEFFERSON GLEN that took place in Thua Thien Province in October. This was the last major combat operation in Vietnam which involved U.S. ground forces. Following the close of Operation JEFFERSON GLEN on 8 October, the 101st began stand-down procedures and was the last U.S. division to leave Vietnam.
U.S. troop strengths decreased during Consolidation I. American battle deaths for July 1971 were 66, the lowest monthly figure since May 1967. By early November, U.S. troop totals dropped to 191,000, the lowest level since December 1965. In early November, President Nixon announced that American troops had reverted to a defensive role in Vietnam.
