Tommy Phelps:
CLASS OF 1964
Shaw High SchoolClass of 1964
Shaw, MS
Consolidated High SchoolClass of 1964
Skene, MS
Hill Demonstration SchoolClass of 1958
Cleveland, MS
Pearman Elementary SchoolClass of 1957
Cleveland, MS
Tommy's Story
Left the Delta and found my fortune in the guise of Linda Kelly...she's kept me around ever since. She also gave me Leslie Anne, Courtney, and more important kept my head out of the clouds and even more important out of my ass.
USAF and Army: Was a fighter pilot in the Air Force. (shhhh...flew helicopters in the Army...also a grunt company commander)
After flunking out of MDJC, went on to two bachelors (Coker and USM), three masters (MSU, AU, ASU), and my PhD (Denver). Topped it off with a year of post-doctoral study at Stanford. I owe all that either directly or indirectly to Uncle Sugar. Don't forget to throw in the language schools. Never had a plan or inspiration to do anything actually...just kept falling into good deals. It's the old axiom of making lemonade, etc and of being at the right place at the right time.
Became a health nut running about 10-13 miles a day. Ran my first marathon in Denver (1982) and finished a disgusting 4:18 and some seconds not to mention stumbling to the finish. Vowed never again. Got my act together, devised a plan to finish strong, and never ever again stumbled. Ran the Denver two more times, the Garden of the Gods twice, and my crowning glory as a runner was the Pikes Peak marathon twice...all under 4 hours, which was my goal. (3:51.45 is indeed under 4 hours...never topped 4 hours again) Best time was at the San Antonio marathon (Alamo) at 3:28 and some seconds. Now I just walk...better on the knees.
No...never did the Iron-Man thing...bicycle seat was hard on my butt...made my butt bones pop & crick. BUT...my special niece is big time into the Iron Man and is invited to everything...she's good. Very proud of you Wendy.
Spent five years in the Army, and 17 in the Air Force. Lots of travel: Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Laos, Israel, Moldova, the Ukraine, Germany, liaison in Hong Kong, and others.
Was never a sniper doing super secret missions and not a super...Expand for more
secret spy that stole all the super secret files in the Kremlin. However, I was fortunate enough to settle disputes with the bad guys mostly in my favor. There was one time, and "this is no shxt"...aw well, we know where this is going so I'll stop while I'm ahead.
Got sick and was medically retired. Did not go out kicking and screaming...went out dancing all the way into the street.
After retirement, went into upper education as a professor, and later administration (still taught). St. Mary's University, Trinity, Texas Lutheran, Texas State, and UT/Austin. Was a history professor at the Air Force Academy, and while attending the Army War College in Carlisle PA was a lecturer at Gettysburg College. While on active duty did adjunct work with Park University, Webster's University, Embry-Riddle University, and Arizona State.
Totally retired, living outside Dripping Springs, Texas. It's more or less within the smoky area of Driftwood. Really enjoy being a grandfather. Those little rug-rats love their Pop.
As usual, cannot vouch for total accuracy...but it's close. It's that mind thing when we get old. If you have any questions keep 'em to yourself.
ADDENDUM: Initially I had not planned on going back to school while in the Army. When I was going through IOBC (that's the basic course for infantry officers) my class had 210 plus or minus a couple. Two of us were direct commissions, one was a captain who kept dodging IOBC. All the rest were West Point graduates. All of them smackwads. My wife had kept prodding me and prodding me to go back to school. WHY? See all those guys from West point? Yep. That's your competition. BUT BUT...I'd be 26 when I finished (at that time 26 was old). She said "You're going to be 26 anyway...why not have a degree by then." That was very hard logic to dispute. So off I went for a degree, and didn't stop until I kinda' sorta' ran out of degrees to pursue. Ain't this a good story?
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