https://www.facebook.com/lewistontribune
will live-stream the services.
You may have to search their page, but should be up and running by 3pm Pacific.
Tom's services are being held Friday August 5th starting at 3PM (Pacific) in his home town of Orofino, ID. The service is at the Best Western Lodge,... see morehttps://www.facebook.com/lewistontribune
will live-stream the services.
You may have to search their page, but should be up and running by 3pm Pacific.
Tom's services are being held Friday August 5th starting at 3PM (Pacific) in his home town of Orofino, ID. The service is at the Best Western Lodge, burial at Orofino Cemetery, and celebration of life directly following back at the Best Western.
This is a space to communicate about celebrating Tom Hayes. This is meant to be the single-source for what's happening in the time shortly after his tragic death and to share memories, stories, photos and ideas.
Also info on facebook @ https://fb.me/e/2RvrO7nh7
OBITUARY
Thomas Patrick Hayes died in a Chinook helicopter crash the afternoon of July 21st, 2022. He was the captain of the two-pilot crew operating the heavy helicopter in support of the Moose Fire off the Salmon River in northern Idaho. The co-pilot Jared Bird also succumbed to his injuries. Tom’s aviation background is substantial amongst even the professional aviators reading this. He wrenched on Blackhawks before going through Army... see more
Thomas Patrick Hayes died in a Chinook helicopter crash the afternoon of July 21st, 2022. He was the captain of the two-pilot crew operating the heavy helicopter in support of the Moose Fire off the Salmon River in northern Idaho. The co-pilot Jared Bird also succumbed to his injuries.
Tom’s aviation background is substantial amongst even the professional aviators reading this. He wrenched on Blackhawks before going through Army flight training in 2002/03. Tom’s ability to lighten any situation is well-known amongst the tightly knit Chinook helicopter community. His entire career was steeped in aviation maintenance and he held FAA mechanic, helicopter instructor pilot, and commercial airplane pilot certificates.
In the military Tom worked in S. Korea, all over the US on and hazardous duty operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the ”Horn of Africa”. After retiring from his 20 year Army career, he worked Chinooks for Helimax Aviation and Billings Flying Service before dabbling in airplanes, and smaller helicopters. This fire season he chose to work with a new team at ROTAK Heli, once again on his favorite machine the CH47 Chinook.
For those people lucky enough to know Tom as a friend know he brought enthusiasm, new ideas to all he did and increased the joy of whatever group lucky enough to have him on their team. The little amount of his life’s time not dedicated to service of country and job was serving his loved ones and making memories as an all-around man: fishing, hunting, biking and trying a new routine. Tom was a jack of all trades and an unrivaled expert at many things aviation.
Tom was raised in Orofino, ID on the famed Clearwater River, which he often referred to as “God’s country”. He is survived by so many people who loved him: his sister Nicole Bonner and her husband Dylan with their daughter Ariyah; his mother Rebecca Hovey and stepfather Steve Hovey; his father Tim Hayes; Tom’s three children, Patrick, Sam and Sophia; his aunt and uncle Cheri and Scott Hayes; aunt and uncle Terry and Harvey Leach; Uncle Billie Craner; aunt Deborah Dickensen; aunt and uncle Jeanne and Allen Webb; and grandmother Eleanor Hayes. The last couple of years he based himself in Post Falls, ID and is survived by his partner Kristin and her daughters Linnea, Sonja and his little buddy Mira, all of whom he planned to share the rest of his life with. The thousands of people who knew and loved Tom know that losing him is a crushing personal and professional loss to us all.
Today you would have been 42.
Its taken me a long time to do this... it feels like my world has been ripped apart. It still doesnt feel fair. I had so much left to say to you. It wasnt supposed to be this... morehttps://youtu.be/BIQK4-9YFyo
To my brother...
Today you would have been 42.
Its taken me a long time to do this... it feels like my world has been ripped apart. It still doesnt feel fair. I had so much left to say to you. It wasnt supposed to be this way you deserved so much more time!
There isnt a day that goes by i dont think about you. Even though your not here today you will never be forgotten and i know i was blessed to have you. The world has been robbed of such a beautiful person.
In all your trials in life you never became bitter or uncommitted you only became more earnest, more sincere, and more faithful. You didnt complain but continued to serve others. You left a legacy and you deserve to be remembered. You had a good soul and even better sense of humor. I couldnt be more proud of you. You were very special and i feel lost in many ways. We'll miss your late night texts, your conversations with dylan about hunting, and your constant jokes about making sure Ariyah gets lots of candy and the occasional margarita or beer. ;) You two had special bond and she had no problem telling me "no momma im staying with uncle tom!". I am grateful for the time we spent with you and always playing a big role ariyahs life as her uncle. She always gravitated towards you because you two were so much a like. A little ADHD and never has a problems telling someone how it is. 😉
Hunting season in here and it just feels so wrong not to have you with us. 😭
And i never in my life thought id bust out the old N.I.N cd and play it again. We used to blair that so loud when u took me to school after you got your truck. Ill hold on to all the memories close to my heart.
In all the years youve always taught me to be strong, to be myself, and do not harm but take no ****. You always had my back and i always had yours.
Your strength will carry on...and i will be armed with whatever battle comes my way because i know your right by my side in spirit. Thank you for all you did for me, all the time we spent together, and for just being my big brother. You are my flesh and blood. If it werent for you, i wouldnt be me. We miss you everyday here but we can feel you watching over us.
I will carry you with me now and forever...until we meet again.
This photo is what tommy was all about at work, he found a random blow up monkey and put my name on just joking about and having fun with us, he loved all of us and treated us all the same.
Tom and I met in flight school and flew together in some choice locales. Within moments of meeting him you say to yourself "this is a good friggin dude". I was fortunate enough to witness the birth to some of the many nicknames Tommy had. My... moreTom and I met in flight school and flew together in some choice locales. Within moments of meeting him you say to yourself "this is a good friggin dude". I was fortunate enough to witness the birth to some of the many nicknames Tommy had. My favorite was the sign saying hello to the post commander's wife. We did a ton of stupid shit in the Army together and he always made it better with his jokes, a can-do attitude and work ethic. Reflecting back, it was him and people like him that leave fond and everlasting memories in my mind. Hope to see you again, Chief. less
Old Man, Young Gun. Those were the terms of endearment we'd share shouting to each other across the flight line or coming upon each other on a maintenance floor somewhere in the world always sharing many cups of coffee and brainstorming beginning each... moreOld Man, Young Gun. Those were the terms of endearment we'd share shouting to each other across the flight line or coming upon each other on a maintenance floor somewhere in the world always sharing many cups of coffee and brainstorming beginning each new maintenance day.
I first met Tom and his family in 2006 - a new CW2 and an even newer maintenance test pilot at Fort Riley, KS. He had that rare knack of maintenance common sense, learned no doubt starting out his career as a Blackhawk mechanic and then applying for flight school to join the "dark side" of heavy-lift flight. Five years, two Iraq deployments (2007-2008, 2010-2011), and literally building up a new unit from no personnel or aircraft assigned, we went through many challenges together. His can-do, bright, always-cheery demeanor, and thirst for learning and applying all of those successfully probably kept me from aging prematurely too. It was my job not only to evaluate him as a test pilot but also my joy to train him as both maintenance production manager and quality control supervision. He managed all that + normal line pilot duties including night vision goggle missions as pilot-in-command. And all that doesn't include his independent study in Aviation Science and Maintenance Manager disciplines through online college courses - he absolutely never tired in his quest for maintenance safety and excellence. I was honored when he asked me to promote him to the rank of CW3 in front of his company formation, but we soon would part career paths but not before training him in methods of instruction and recommending him to Department of The Army as an ME-candidate (test pilot instructor and evaluator). I was retiring and he would go on to the Fort Drums and Fort Braggs of the world and a few more deployments before his 2018 retirement as a CW4, ME-designee. There was always that brief phone call asking me and my opinion about "X" when he'd run across a problem with an aircraft at a new unit. Historical aircraft records follow an airframe through its life and he'd always say he saw my entries sprinkled throughout the airframes he would inherit at a new duty station. I was very happy he got to leave the Army and pursue his commercial aviation interests - just more I could watch now from his LinkedIn accomplishments.
And while all of this might sound better in someone else's eloquent words as a career/lifetime citation on a military award, Tom was always personable above and beyond "the job" ... yes, more than that, great friendship and peer respect always.
So appropriate or not he would have you know he would've been tickled to research (I know he did) his final flight was aboard CH-47C 71-20952 born in 1971 and converted to CH-47D 88-0097 in 1988 starting out a fresh life in November 1989 in South Korea, moving to Fort Hood under GSAB re-organization of the early 2000s, and finally becoming ours again to care for at Fort Riley, KS in 2006-2011. Never a historical problem child, accruing over 8500 airframe hours before leaving inventory for adaption to the commercial sector for continued heavy-lift missions and forestry use in 2014.
In closing, my thoughts and wishes are sincerest condolences to family, friends, and associates. We lost a great aviation friend doing what he loved and was born to do. It has been my honor that our paths crossed. God speed.
Tom, when I got the call I was in shock because you had texted me the day you were taken from us. I’d call you one of my best friends. We spent a lot of time together at Drum and ever since we stayed in touch. It’s evident the mark you’ve left on... moreTom, when I got the call I was in shock because you had texted me the day you were taken from us. I’d call you one of my best friends. We spent a lot of time together at Drum and ever since we stayed in touch. It’s evident the mark you’ve left on all of us, the professional that always treated everyone with respect. Always coming into the office or calling me up or texting “what’s up Chief?” Walking in or sending a pic with your trademarked “thumbs up.” We talked about alot, we talked each other through alot. It’s hard to believe you are no longer here with us, because we were supposed to hang out this summer when you were done with your fire. I was looking forward to it. I was glad the kids and you were reconciling, after going back and forth with all that, you never gave up. Shit, you never gave up on anything. Your passion towards the Chinook community was unmatched along with your true sense of caring for those you were close to. I love you TMFH, and I’ll miss our calls, texts, and Instagram exchanges. Just cause you passed away doing what you love doesn’t make it any easier for us bro. Thumbs up, watch your cornhole, JTT…I will miss you brother! Rest In Peace. Until Valhalla. less
Tommy was a mentor, a friend, and an absolute legend. There are only a handful of people I met in my military career that had a lasting impact on me personally, and he was at the top of the list. His drive, work ethic, and ability to turn every shitty... moreTommy was a mentor, a friend, and an absolute legend. There are only a handful of people I met in my military career that had a lasting impact on me personally, and he was at the top of the list. His drive, work ethic, and ability to turn every shitty situation into a positive learning experience are all things I will never forget. Tommy was someone I looked at as “the standard” in the Chinook community. Never looking down on anyone due to their experience level, instead going out of his way to teach and make sure everyone was always learning and on the same page. I’ll cherish the memories from all the TDY trips, combat missions, the hundreds of test flights we did, and all of the other shenanigans. I’ll miss the random texts and calls from him just to catch up and see how I was doing.
The world has lost an irreplaceable human being. I’ll miss you my friend.. less
All Tommy ever talked about to me was how much he loved his children the past 18 years and how he was going to see Pat in a few weeks after this fire fight was over. Tom told me how proud he was of his kids and how much he just wanted them to be happy.... moreAll Tommy ever talked about to me was how much he loved his children the past 18 years and how he was going to see Pat in a few weeks after this fire fight was over. Tom told me how proud he was of his kids and how much he just wanted them to be happy. Tom has others he has had the opportunity to love also and they are better having known him. I know this, Tommy was not perfect none of us are but he knew how to gain forgiveness from God and give forgiveness to others. He knew how to move forward. Tom was always real and never chose to be a victim of circumstance, always strove to be the best man he could, ironically all the way to his demise as a hero forevermore, etched on our hearts.
Now let’s honor him without delay and focus on what is important.
We love you Tommy, until we meet again my brother, “Watch your corn hole”. less
Tommy, I was blessed to be able to call you my friend. I was honored to deploy with you. I was grateful to be able to work in the civilian world with you. I will miss our phone calls at which we laugh at our selves. You made all of us better.
I met Tommy back in 2012 when I showed up as a maintainer to Ft Drum. In early 2013 i moved to the flight company and we deployed to Afghanistan. Tom didn’t care that I had no clue how to run up a helicopter, he embraced and taught me anyway. Tom... moreI met Tommy back in 2012 when I showed up as a maintainer to Ft Drum. In early 2013 i moved to the flight company and we deployed to Afghanistan. Tom didn’t care that I had no clue how to run up a helicopter, he embraced and taught me anyway. Tom didn’t care that I had zero experience in flight and zero clue what I was doing, he laughed and taught me anyway. Tom made me a better maintainer, crew member and person. He always had an infectious smile and a laugh for all of us, even if it was hour 18 of our duty day. He knew my family and even after his PCS and eventual retirement, he would still keep in touch and ask how all of us were. He is a huge reason of why I wanted to teach. Now I’ve taught at the MTP Course over 3.5 years, hopefully I’ve imparted some of the things Tommy taught me onto future MTPs.
How do you say goodbye to a mentor, hero or friend? That part I haven’t figured out yet. What I do know is he is bringing us all back together to share stories, laughs and tears. Already miss him dearly, but I know I’m a better person for knowing him. Blue skies and tailwinds TMFH. We miss you dear friend. less
As I write this I am in disbelief. I have know Tommy and worked with him for many years from his time in the military and it continued when he transitioned into his civilian career. I spoke with him only a few days ago. I always loved his energy and... moreAs I write this I am in disbelief. I have know Tommy and worked with him for many years from his time in the military and it continued when he transitioned into his civilian career. I spoke with him only a few days ago. I always loved his energy and enthusiasm. He loved what he did and he wanted to be the best at it. He would always do what he could to improve the situation around him. I will miss him and the random five minute phone calls where he needed just a quick answer so he could hurry up and get back to it. This is a horrible loss. I will miss you brother…God bless you! less
No words can express how much I loved this man and how much I am going to miss him. From the moment I met Tom on a date back in 2020, I knew I had found someone incredible. One date quickly turned into a second date the next day and then we became... moreNo words can express how much I loved this man and how much I am going to miss him. From the moment I met Tom on a date back in 2020, I knew I had found someone incredible. One date quickly turned into a second date the next day and then we became virtually inseparable from then on, seeing each other as much as we possible or talking on the phone for hours when apart. We did everything together – long walks, bike rides, hiking, swimming, camping, skiing, fishing, he even took me hunting 😊. Tom and I were alike in so many ways and yet different in others and it was perfect. We fit together like a hand in a glove and it was the best feeling just to be around each other. We complimented each other so well and balanced each other out. He was the most honest, brave, loving, caring, respected and hard-working man I’ve ever known. He was my rock, my comfort, my protector, my best friend, and my love. He loved my children like his own and they loved him too. I am envious of those people that have known Tom for a long time because I feel like my time with him was cut way too short. We had plans for the future together and it was going to be so wonderful. But I am also so grateful for the 2 years that I knew Tom because they were to best years filled with love and many, many great memories that I will keep with me forever.
Love you babe, get some rest. ❤ less
Tommy and I deployed together 07-09. Tommy was a great pilot and friend. We did several missions together in combat and back in the states. I will never forget the time Tommy went duck hunting with my son and I and he ended up soaked after chasing a... moreTommy and I deployed together 07-09. Tommy was a great pilot and friend. We did several missions together in combat and back in the states. I will never forget the time Tommy went duck hunting with my son and I and he ended up soaked after chasing a duck we had shot down the river, in 20 degree weather. His laugh was contagious. Rest in Peace my friend. less
Tommy and I were coming home from a late mission in Afghanistan. We were both tired and I was the pilot in the controls. We were coupled and just cruising back to base at 10k ft. All of a sudden the acft pitched up and started to decel. All I hear is... moreTommy and I were coming home from a late mission in Afghanistan. We were both tired and I was the pilot in the controls. We were coupled and just cruising back to base at 10k ft. All of a sudden the acft pitched up and started to decel. All I hear is “whoops. Sorry.” Then He laughed. He had hit the thov button and the acft tried to go into a hover. Scared the crap out of both of us. It probably wasn’t that big of a attitude change but it felt like it when we were so tired and kind of cruise control headed home. We would still joke about it from time to time.
At the end of that deployment, Tommy got to leave a few days before me. New York had just been hit by a huge ice storm. My family had lost power and was running off the house generator. The generator quit running leaving my family in a bad situation. I managed to get a message to him and he went straight to my house after getting off the plane. I’m not even sure if he changes his uniform.
Tommy was a role model and set the example of what a true friend was. He would have done anything for anyone. He was just the best. He will always have a place in the heart of my family. He will be missed. less
I met Tom at Ft. Riley Kansas and deployed with him to Iraq in 2007-08. This was first unit after flight school and Tom was a maintenance test pilot. Tom was the best mentor there was. In retrospect this was twofold: Tom loved to teach others, to pass on... moreI met Tom at Ft. Riley Kansas and deployed with him to Iraq in 2007-08. This was first unit after flight school and Tom was a maintenance test pilot. Tom was the best mentor there was. In retrospect this was twofold: Tom loved to teach others, to pass on knowledge to improve us as individuals and our unit as a whole. Secondly he was a caring man - he wanted to know about who you were as a person - not just another pilot in his unit.
Not long after that deployment (early 2009) Tom packed up his family for his next assignment - there was one day that I went to his house with a couple other friends to help him packing his trailer. This was the only time I’d meet his wife and kids, just a brief time - but I knew that Tom was proud of and loved his family greatly.
We kept in touch via email and social media, he was one of a handful that I never lost touch with. We talked over the phone about life, the Army and family. As I married and began a family I had my first son diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Tom was the first to tell me about his son on the spectrum as well and what experiences he and his now ex-wife had with him. Despite separation of years Tom and I talked periodically like we had just seen each other recently. Tom always cared about me, my career and my family.
I know Tom struggled with his family during so many tough times as a military family, I was always willing to listen and be there for him. Despite all the tough times he has gone through - he always inquired about my family.
Later I spent another year stationed at the same location with him in late 2015 at Ft Drum - being able to hang out again made us closer as well. I last saw him in person in 2016 when he left Drum to move to Ft Bragg. My gosh, its been 6 years now since I last saw him - but I talked to him 5 or 6 times a year. I last spoke with him just a week before his passing.
It may seem strange that in the 16 years I knew Tom, I only was with him physically for 3 years - but we grew closer in friendship year after year - that what the military life is like. I will forever miss our conversations. I looked up to Tom not just as a professional Soldier and Aviator but as a Husband, Father, Son and Friend.
I miss you deeply Tom, Godspeed my friend. I send my prayers to his parents, his sister and especially his children - Your Father was as good as they come - and he leaves a whole in my life that cannot be filled. - - - Always - Grant Montgomery - Captain, USA, Retired.
Photo of Tom in the 47 maintenance office COB Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq early 2008. less