PFC Thomas Lowell Tucker, "Tommy"
May 5, 1981 ~ June 16, 2006
Thomas Lowell Tucker, "Tommy", "Bubby"
was born May 5th, 1981 to parents, Margaret "Meg" and Wesley "Wes" Tucker. Tom lived in Prineville, Or for the
first few years of his life. Wes and Meg then moved Tom and his older sister, Tayva to the Madras/Metolius area,
where the family has lived ever since.
Tom had many interests, some of which were; playing the piano and the trombone, riding dirtbikes, going
4wheeling , singing, taking photographs and playing his guitar. Tom was naturally talented when it came to
riding a dirtbike or playing music. He constantly wowed everyone by whipping out amazing tricks on his dirtbike
or playing beautiful music on one of his instuments. Tom was also a very kind and understanding person. He
always put other's needs in front of his own with no second thought. That was part of what made him such a
great soldier and a great friend.
I met Tom in Jr. High here in Madras, OR. We hit it off immediately and began "dating", which at that age was
pretty much just holding hands and talking on the phone. He was always so sweet and thoughtful. He even gave
me a music box shaped like a piano for Christmas that year.
Tom was a year older than me and he went off to high school the next year. We remained close friends though,
and Tom would always invite me to hang out with him and his high school friends, which was really cool. The
next year when I got to high school, we continued to hang out everyday and be great friends. We would attend
every function together and we always looked out for one another. I only have an older sister, so to me, Tom
was the brother I never had. We remained just as close through the years and spoke about 2 to 3 times a week
with a few small gaps here and there. One of the of the few long periods of time we went without talking was
around my wedding. Tom was in Arizona with his steady girlfriend and wasn't able to attend. When he finally
came home, we vowed that we would never again miss an important date in each other's lives. I regret dearly
that he couldn’t be there and isn't in my wedding photos. I would have given up all the other guests for Tom to
be there.
Life moved on though, and Tom's life became complicated. His steady girlfriend completely smashed his heart.
He took it very, very hard, especially because she was his first real love. He never fully recovered from that
blow. Tom lost a part of himself that he didn't know how to get back from that. He was very unhappy these past
two years. He felt, as many people do after a bad breakup, that he wasn't worthy of happiness. I believe that
partially influenced his decision to join the Army.
I remember clearly the day he told me he had joined. Tom was afraid to tell me, afraid of how I'd react. When
he finally told me, we were at a wedding reception for some friends and we'd had quite a few drinks. Tom said,"
Marg, I've been working up the courage all night to tell you something...." I was thinking it was something trivial
like getting a speeding ticket or dating someone I didn't like. “Marg, I joined the Army and I'm going in in one
month." I immediately burst into tears. I felt complete despair as if I had already lost him. I don't know why, but it
upset me to the core. I begged and pleaded and cried for him to change his mind, but he was dead set and
stubborn as hell. Eventually I told him I was proud of him no matter what he decided and that I would always
support him, but I was still devastated.
Tom went off to boot camp and when he returned, I could tell he was a changed man. I thought then maybe the
Army would be good for him. All I really cared about was that he was home and we spent as much time as we
could together. We went out with other friends, partied and had as much fun as humanly possible. We also
decided to get a friendship tattoo together; his was an Asian Kanji for "Best Friend" and mine was a green Ivy
leaf for "Friendship Endures All". Eventually it was time for Tom to be shipped out again for his base in
Kentucky. He was there about a month before he was shipped out to Iraq. We emailed a little and Tom called
once in a while, but communication was scarce and I missed him deeply. Tom was supposed to be home in
October this year and we had already planned a big party for his return which was a main topic whenever we
talked.
On June 14th about 3pm in the afternoon here, early on the morning of June 15th in Iraq, Tom called my house.
My husband, Matt answered and they talked for about 30 minutes and then he handed me the phone. Tom and I
just BSd for about 30 mins or so and then he was cutoff. I was disappointed because that was usually it. Two
minutes later though, the phone rang and it was Tom. I was psyched to talk more with him. We talked about life
and other "important" issues for another 40 mins or so, and then we were cutoff again. Tom called back a third
time that day which I remember thinking was really strange because he never had that much phone time, but I
just enjoyed what we had and didnt really think about it. Then Tom told me that he was going on a new
assignment in 5 hours where he would be manning a checkpoint. I could tell by his voice that he was worried
and possibly scared about his new mission. I told Tom that I knew he would give 100%, that I missed him, that I
was proud of him, that I would always be his best friend and that I loved him so so much and couldn't wait for him
to come home. He agreed about coming home, told me he would always love me and be with me and that he
wanted me and everyone else to always be proud of him. I was, we all were and Tom knew it. He also called his
parents, his girlfriend and his/our other best friend and talked with all of them for quite awhile the morning of
his June 15th.
The next day, while manning the checkpoint, he and and two other soldiers, were attacked by enemies. One
soldier was killed instantly upon impact of the kidnapper’s vehicle with Tom’s humvee. Tom and the other
soldier, Kristian Menchaca, were taken hostage, supposedly alive. We aren't positive when, but sometime
between the day we talked and Saturday June 17th, Tom and Kristian were brutally murdered by people affiliated
with the al quaeda. We don't know exactly why, but it was supposedly in retaliation for a rape/murder committed
by other men from Tom's Company. Tom had absolutely nothing to do with that, nor did the other two soldiers
killed. He was terrifyingly, in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would like to believe that Tom and Kristian
died in the initial attack on their humvee and then were transported to where their bodies were found. I believe
this because their humvee was supposedly hit with some kind of bombs and then rammed by the al quaeda
vehicle.
What I do know for sure is that they died as true American heroes fighting to keep us all free and maybe bestow
some of that freedom on the Iraqi people. I know that Tom and the others are in a better place now. I miss my
best friend more than could ever be expressed through words, but I know that he died as an honorable man,
and that’s what he wanted. Our small town and many people from all over the US and the world honored him with
more gratitude than I have ever observed. Thank you so much to everyone and thank you to Tom's family for
publicly allowing everyone to grieve with them. I am forever grateful to have had such a self sacrificing, loving,
true best friend. Tom, I love you, I miss you more and more everyday and you will forever be my Hero. Good
night dear brave soldier, May you forever rest in peace.
Love forever and ever,
Marg
May 5, 1981 ~ June 16, 2006
Thomas Lowell Tucker, "Tommy", "Bubby"
was born May 5th, 1981 to parents, Margaret "Meg" and Wesley "Wes" Tucker. Tom lived in Prineville, Or for the
first few years of his life. Wes and Meg then moved Tom and his older sister, Tayva to the Madras/Metolius area,
where the family has lived ever since.
Tom had many interests, some of which were; playing the piano and the trombone, riding dirtbikes, going
4wheeling , singing, taking photographs and playing his guitar. Tom was naturally talented when it came to
riding a dirtbike or playing music. He constantly wowed everyone by whipping out amazing tricks on his dirtbike
or playing beautiful music on one of his instuments. Tom was also a very kind and understanding person. He
always put other's needs in front of his own with no second thought. That was part of what made him such a
great soldier and a great friend.
I met Tom in Jr. High here in Madras, OR. We hit it off immediately and began "dating", which at that age was
pretty much just holding hands and talking on the phone. He was always so sweet and thoughtful. He even gave
me a music box shaped like a piano for Christmas that year.
Tom was a year older than me and he went off to high school the next year. We remained close friends though,
and Tom would always invite me to hang out with him and his high school friends, which was really cool. The
next year when I got to high school, we continued to hang out everyday and be great friends. We would attend
every function together and we always looked out for one another. I only have an older sister, so to me, Tom
was the brother I never had. We remained just as close through the years and spoke about 2 to 3 times a week
with a few small gaps here and there. One of the of the few long periods of time we went without talking was
around my wedding. Tom was in Arizona with his steady girlfriend and wasn't able to attend. When he finally
came home, we vowed that we would never again miss an important date in each other's lives. I regret dearly
that he couldn’t be there and isn't in my wedding photos. I would have given up all the other guests for Tom to
be there.
Life moved on though, and Tom's life became complicated. His steady girlfriend completely smashed his heart.
He took it very, very hard, especially because she was his first real love. He never fully recovered from that
blow. Tom lost a part of himself that he didn't know how to get back from that. He was very unhappy these past
two years. He felt, as many people do after a bad breakup, that he wasn't worthy of happiness. I believe that
partially influenced his decision to join the Army.
I remember clearly the day he told me he had joined. Tom was afraid to tell me, afraid of how I'd react. When
he finally told me, we were at a wedding reception for some friends and we'd had quite a few drinks. Tom said,"
Marg, I've been working up the courage all night to tell you something...." I was thinking it was something trivial
like getting a speeding ticket or dating someone I didn't like. “Marg, I joined the Army and I'm going in in one
month." I immediately burst into tears. I felt complete despair as if I had already lost him. I don't know why, but it
upset me to the core. I begged and pleaded and cried for him to change his mind, but he was dead set and
stubborn as hell. Eventually I told him I was proud of him no matter what he decided and that I would always
support him, but I was still devastated.
Tom went off to boot camp and when he returned, I could tell he was a changed man. I thought then maybe the
Army would be good for him. All I really cared about was that he was home and we spent as much time as we
could together. We went out with other friends, partied and had as much fun as humanly possible. We also
decided to get a friendship tattoo together; his was an Asian Kanji for "Best Friend" and mine was a green Ivy
leaf for "Friendship Endures All". Eventually it was time for Tom to be shipped out again for his base in
Kentucky. He was there about a month before he was shipped out to Iraq. We emailed a little and Tom called
once in a while, but communication was scarce and I missed him deeply. Tom was supposed to be home in
October this year and we had already planned a big party for his return which was a main topic whenever we
talked.
On June 14th about 3pm in the afternoon here, early on the morning of June 15th in Iraq, Tom called my house.
My husband, Matt answered and they talked for about 30 minutes and then he handed me the phone. Tom and I
just BSd for about 30 mins or so and then he was cutoff. I was disappointed because that was usually it. Two
minutes later though, the phone rang and it was Tom. I was psyched to talk more with him. We talked about life
and other "important" issues for another 40 mins or so, and then we were cutoff again. Tom called back a third
time that day which I remember thinking was really strange because he never had that much phone time, but I
just enjoyed what we had and didnt really think about it. Then Tom told me that he was going on a new
assignment in 5 hours where he would be manning a checkpoint. I could tell by his voice that he was worried
and possibly scared about his new mission. I told Tom that I knew he would give 100%, that I missed him, that I
was proud of him, that I would always be his best friend and that I loved him so so much and couldn't wait for him
to come home. He agreed about coming home, told me he would always love me and be with me and that he
wanted me and everyone else to always be proud of him. I was, we all were and Tom knew it. He also called his
parents, his girlfriend and his/our other best friend and talked with all of them for quite awhile the morning of
his June 15th.
The next day, while manning the checkpoint, he and and two other soldiers, were attacked by enemies. One
soldier was killed instantly upon impact of the kidnapper’s vehicle with Tom’s humvee. Tom and the other
soldier, Kristian Menchaca, were taken hostage, supposedly alive. We aren't positive when, but sometime
between the day we talked and Saturday June 17th, Tom and Kristian were brutally murdered by people affiliated
with the al quaeda. We don't know exactly why, but it was supposedly in retaliation for a rape/murder committed
by other men from Tom's Company. Tom had absolutely nothing to do with that, nor did the other two soldiers
killed. He was terrifyingly, in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would like to believe that Tom and Kristian
died in the initial attack on their humvee and then were transported to where their bodies were found. I believe
this because their humvee was supposedly hit with some kind of bombs and then rammed by the al quaeda
vehicle.
What I do know for sure is that they died as true American heroes fighting to keep us all free and maybe bestow
some of that freedom on the Iraqi people. I know that Tom and the others are in a better place now. I miss my
best friend more than could ever be expressed through words, but I know that he died as an honorable man,
and that’s what he wanted. Our small town and many people from all over the US and the world honored him with
more gratitude than I have ever observed. Thank you so much to everyone and thank you to Tom's family for
publicly allowing everyone to grieve with them. I am forever grateful to have had such a self sacrificing, loving,
true best friend. Tom, I love you, I miss you more and more everyday and you will forever be my Hero. Good
night dear brave soldier, May you forever rest in peace.
Love forever and ever,
Marg
HONORING PFC Thomas Lowell Tucker , "Tommy"
KIA Operation Iraqi Freedom
Alive in our memories,
Forever in our hearts...
KIA Operation Iraqi Freedom
Alive in our memories,
Forever in our hearts...
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