Thomas Edward Faley, Jr.

Col. Thomas E. Faley, Jr, U.S. Army (Ret), age 82, died on Sunday, September 18, 2022, in Tampa, FL. He was born in Somerset, PA to Thomas Edward Faley and Althea Jones Faley. He moved to Harrisburg in his teenage years and graduated from William Penn High School in 1957. Col. Faley initially attended Dickinson College until he gained an appointment to the United States Military Academy.

Tom graduated from West Point in 1962, earning a Bachelor of Science and a commission as a U.S. Army Second Lieutenant. He later obtained a Master of Science Degree in Psychology from the University of Miami in 1969. His military education includes the Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College.

His military career spanned over 30 years of service to our nation, serving in a variety of troop units and staff positions in both peacetime and in war. In Vietnam, as a 1st LT, he led a Recon Platoon in 1965, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. After promotion to Captain, he commanded “C” Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade (1966). In October of 1965 he made nationwide news from a story the United Press International picked up from the Public Affairs Office of the 1st Brigade, 101St Airborne Division. Tom would be known for his luck in dodging a bullet from enemy fire as the round landed in his wallet. The event was depicted in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” and “Strange As It May Seem”. Tom saved the wallet over the years and enjoyed sharing the infamous “whack on the tail” story. His second, and final, time over in Vietnam during 1972-73, he served as a Battalion Advisor to the Vietnamese Airborne Division.

Tom taught cadets as an Assistant Professor at the U.S. Military Academy and led battalion-level staffs as an Executive Officer in the 16th, 18th and 28th Infantry Battalions, 1st Infantry Division (Main). At the Pentagon, he carried out action officer duties at Headquarters, Department of the Army. He commanded the 26th Infantry Battalion, 1st Infantry Division (Fwd) in Germany and followed on as the G-1 for the 3rd Infantry Division before returning to the U.S. His other assignments included Chief of the Army’s Center for Leadership and Ethics, 4th ROTC Brigade Commander, 2nd ROTC Region and Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Cadet Command.

His awards included the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star with three Oak Leaf Clusters and “V” Device, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and “V” Device, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star, two Presidential Unit Citations, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, US and Vietnamese Parachutist Badges and The Army General Staff Identification Badge.

Tom met and married his wife, Susan, in 1964 at Fort Hancock, N.J. Tom and Susan had three daughters, who all followed in their dad’s footsteps in becoming Army Officers. They each served for a short duration as a result of the ROTC College Scholarship Program. Tom, Sue and family moved thirteen times, making countless friends during their thirty years of service. Tom retired from the army out of Fort Monroe, VA in June of 1992, and returned to Pennsylvania, buying a new home in Boiling Springs, PA.

In “retired life,” he taught part-time as an adjunct psychology professor at Harrisburg Area Community College from 1993-2009, and at Duquesne University, Harrisburg Campus, from 1999-2007. He enjoyed many things in retirement, including countless hours of running, and then later, walking his dog of the time.

He served on the Board of Supervisors for South Middleton Township 1995-2019. Tom was perhaps best known for truly connecting with the community. This became apparent by his door-to-door efforts during several campaign seasons and always making himself available to hear any concerns. During many of those years, he served as the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and held a position on the South Middleton Township Parks and Recreation Board. He has left a legacy of service to the people he loved to serve. People were his passion in both his military and civilian life. In January of 2019, Pennsylvania State Senator Mike Regan personally presented Tom with a letter of State Senate recognition and congratulations for his service.

Survivors include three daughters Katherine Wech of Mechanisburg, PA, Mary Garza and Rebecca Hodne both of Tampa FL; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a brother, Joseph Faley of Leesburg, VA. In addition to his parents and his wife, he was preceded in death by a brother, James Faley.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at the Hoffman Funeral Home and Crematory, 2020 West Trindle Road Carlisle, PA 17013. There will be a viewing from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery with military honors at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Tom to the Humane Society of Harrisburg, 7790 Grayson Road Harrisburg, PA 17111 or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704 Hagerstown, MD 21741.

To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com.