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This Sailor has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
On 18 Feb 1966 LTJG Joseph V. Murray and LTJG Thomas A Schroeffel crewed an A-6A Intruder, Bureau Number 151797, as the wingman on a daylight armed reconnaissance mission in a mountainous area about 70 miles west of Hanoi. During the mission, the two aircraft located and attacked trucks on a mountain road. While conducting a shallow dive-bomb delivery using retarded ("snake eye") bombs, Murray apparently fell victim to target fixation and failed to initiate his pull-out soon enough - and the Intruder impacted the hillside about 500 yards beyond the target. Neither crewman ejected before impact and the crash was not survivable. Both were declared Killed in Action/Body not Recovered.
Other Comments:
Tom Schroeffel was two years ahead of me at Most Holy Name Parish Grade School and North Catholic High School. He was the oldest of the Schroeffel brothers, all talented baseball players, who received major league tryouts with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1960s. Tom was the best athlete of the Schroeffel family, and had certain Major League potential. The neighborhood kids who played at Gardner Field on Pittsburgh's North Side always wanted to play on Tom Schroeffel's side during pickup games. Tom exuded a winning attitude, and displayed skills with both bat and glove.
Tom graduated from North Catholic High School in 1960. Every Schroeffel brother played baseball for North Catholic in the 1960s. I lost contact with Tom after he graduated from North. Tom was a Naval Aviator in 1966, and lost his life on a mission in North Vietnam.
Rest in Peace, Tom. You are still remembered by the guys who played ball with you on the sandlots of Pittsburgh. Nobody could hit the long ball or play shortstop like you.
