08/20/2022
101 YEARS!— Born on August 15, 1921, Thomas M. Rice turned 101 years old this week!! Tom Rice parachuted into Normandy on D-Day. Last year, he celebrated his milestone 100th birthday with another leap — jumping from a Douglas C-53 named D-Day Doll over his hometown of Coronado, Calif.
How fitting for a 101st man. And, on the eve of National Airborne Day no less. Join us as we say Happy Birthday to WWII Airborne Veteran Thomas Rice. And if you’re looking for some extra motivation as you start your week, take note! Here’s a role model for living life well.
Mr. Rice is a Toccoa original. He served with Charlie Company, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. His first experience in combat was parachuting into the dark flak-filled skies above Normandy—dropped at 160 mph as the pilots of his C-47 tried to evade the enemy fire. He and his comrades were scattered everywhere including one man who ended up in the ocean but who was able to swim to shore.
Three months later Mr. Rice parachuted into Holland and then fought in Bastogne where he was severely wounded. Nothing could keep him from joining back with his unit, though. He managed to return just in time for the capture of Hitler’s Eagles Nest and seeing the end of the war.
After the war, Mr. Rice completed his degree at San Diego State University. He taught social sciences and history for nearly 44 years in California. A father of five, he wrote his memoirs, published in 2004 under the title “Trial by Combat: A Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division Remembers the 1944 Battle of Normandy.”
Mr. Rice has remained an avid parachutist throughout his life and has earned significant notoriety for that. He performed a tandem jump in Normandy for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. But even more remarkable, he did a tandem jump last year for his 100th Birthday back in his hometown of Coronado, CA.
For all on our team who know Mr. Rice, he’s just hitting his life's stride. And he's a hard man to keep up with. He’s yet another member of the Greatest Generation who makes a person say, “You’re who I want to be when I grow up.“ His energy and passion for moving forward in life is unyielding—yes, even at 101.
Thank you, Sir, for being an inspiration and showing us that, “with the right mindset, you can achieve anything.” All The Way!
Photo, WII Veteran Thomas Rice by Jeff Rease, Portraits of Honor
❤️🇺🇸
