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 December 1971 to 29 March 1972.. The U.S. continued to reduce its ground presence in South Vietnam during late 1971 and early 1972, but American air attacks increased while both sides exchanged peace proposals.
In early January 1972 President Nixon confirmed that U.S. troop withdrawals would continue but promised that a force of 25,000-30,000 would remain in Vietnam until all American prisoners of war were released. Secretary of Defense Laird reported that Vietnamization was progressing well and that U.S. troops would not be reintroduced into Vietnam even in a military emergency. U.S. troop strength in Vietnam dropped to 136,500 by 31 January 1972, to 119,600 by 29 February, and then to 95,500 by the end of March.
During the last week of December 1971 U.S. Air Force and Navy planes carried out 1,000 strikes on North Vietnam, the heaviest U.S. air attacks since November 1968. Allied commanders insisted that it was necessary because of a huge buildup of military supplies in North Vietnam for possible offensive operations against South Vietnam and Cambodia. Stepped up North Vietnamese anti-aircraft and missile attacks on U.S. aircraft that bombed the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos also contributed to the decision. During January 1972 American planes maintained their intermittent bombardment of missile sites in North Vietnam and on he Laotian border and also struck North Vietnamese troop concentrations in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam.
On 25 January President Nixon announced an eight part program to end the war which included agreement to remove all U.S. and foreign allied troops from Vietnam no later than six months after a peace agreement was reached. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong delegates rejected the proposal and insisted upon complete withdrawal of all foreign troops from Indochina and cessation of all forms of U.S. aid to South Vietnam.