R.I.P. Lt. Col. Thomas P. Belkofer

Army Lt. Col. Thomas P. Belkofer
Died May 18, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

44, of Perrysburg, Ohio; assigned to Headquarters, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 18 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered in a suicide car bombing. Also killed were Col. John M. McHugh, Lt. Col. Paul R. Bartz, Staff Sgt. Richard J. Tieman and Spc. Joshua A. Tomlinson.

(The following was taken from www.toledoonthemove.com of May 21, 2010) PERRYSBURG, OHIO -- It was only supposed to be a short training mission.

“In your heart of hearts even though you may have feared that something like this could happen, you believe that it won't happen,” said Sharon Belkofer, the mother of Army Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Belkofer, 44, who was killed in action this week in Afghanistan, after a suicide bomber attacked his convoy.

“You want to take it out on somebody, you're hurt, you cry, you're never going to see him again, but there's so much pride as well,” said Sharon.

As the middle child, Belkofer was a 1983 graduate of Rossford High School. He traveled a lot and attended several colleges, eventually finding his wife, Margo at ROTC. “For the good of the family and everything else she decided to cut short her career and back Tom in his,” said Don Belkofer, Thomas’ father.

The family settled down in Perrysburg Township, before moving to Fort Drum in New York, where Belkofer was stationed.

Margo and her two daughters are in the process of escorting the soldier’s body back to Northwest Ohio for funeral services, and then Belkofer will be laid to rest at a place fit only for heroes, Arlington National Cemetery.

“He deserves every bit of it; every bit of the recognition.”