In 1966, as the Vietnam War was raging, Tom Hadlock made the decision to serve his country and enlist in the United States National Guard. He wanted to contribute, he explained, and liked the training and discipline of the Army. He also very much believed in the Army’s mission. He signed up in Philadelphia in July – immediately after completing graduate school – and was assigned to be stationed at Fort Knox, home of the Armor Center. Private Hadlock (ultimately promoted to Sergeant) underwent basic training and took coursework in his military occupational specialty, company clerk, which he was assigned based on his educational background. He was first assigned to his home Pennsylvania National Guard unit, then moved to New York City for business reasons and was ultimately reassigned to two separate state units, located in Ossining and Yonkers.
Accompanying his New York assignment were annual two-week summer training sessions held at Camp Drum (now Fort Drum) in Watertown, New York. While Sgt. Hadlock served only stateside, his six-year commitment through 1972 was part of a larger support mission to the Army’s multiple armored divisions and also served the state’s critical needs as they developed, such as a New York postal workers strike.
Sgt. Hadlock’s commitment to the military became in many ways even more significant following his active duty days. He has always been a committed resident of Westhampton. A few years ago, the late Arma “Ham” Andon asked Sgt. Hadlock to take a leadership role in Westhampton Beach’s American Legion branch, Arthur Ellis Hamm Post 834, which was barely surviving at the time. He agreed and accepted the position as post Commander in 2010. With his determination and energy, the post began to grow in numbers and importance. Key members who shared Commander Hadlock’s goals were added, including Fred Bauer, Mike Berdinka, Peter Cuthbert, Paul Haines and Emil Mollik, to name a few, as well as long-time dedicated member and Korean War veteran Bill Matthews.
Today, the post is proud to have played a major role in delivering the recently dedicated Arma “Ham” Andon Memorial Military Park, located at the village marina. It also signs up veterans to be memorialized in stone at the Westhampton Cemetery, has developed a Sons of the Legion program, provides monthly donations to bona fide local charities, is working with Southampton Town to finalize plans for the new Western Township Community Center and meeting place for the Post, and implements specialized programs like the Military Widows Luncheon. The post is planning its 100th anniversary in 2020.
“We are gaining strength every day,” said Commander Hadlock.
Mr. Hadlock was born in Chicago and moved east at a young age. He attended college in upstate New York and received his master’s degree at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is married and has a daughter and two young grandchildren. In addition to his involvement with the American Legion, he is a trustee on the executive board of the Westhampton Beach Historical Society, active with St Mark’s Church, and serves on the fundraising committees of both the Peconic Bay Medical Center and East End Hospice. In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis and poker. The military has always been a part of the Hadlock life.
In gratitude of his service and sacrifice, the Library paid tribute to Hadlock at a ceremony on July 20 as part of its Hometown Heroes initiative. The Library’s Hometown Heroes initiative aims to honor local veterans from the Arthur Ellis Hamm American Legion Post 834 on a monthly basis, with a culminating ceremony scheduled for January 2020.
During the ceremony, held at the Westhampton Beach Fire Department and attended by fellow Legionnaires, library representatives, family members and public officials, Hadlock was presented with proclamations and an American flag.
“It is so important to honor our local veterans,” said Westhampton Free Library Director Danielle Waskiewicz. “They made many sacrifices and deserve to be thanked.”
Photos courtesy of the Westhampton Free Library