Col. Thomas Eugene Burch, 82, of Festus died June 10, 2021, at Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County. Col. Burch served 34 years in the U.S. Air Force. His first assignment was as a missile launch officer, and two years later he underwent flight training to become a navigator. During the Vietnam War, he was promoted to Captain and flew in the C-133 military transport supplying U.S. forces. He flew more than 1,500 hours in Southeast Asia, receiving an Air Medal and a Meritorious Service Medal, and flew 1,000 mission hours in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, including supply missions in the 1968 Arab-Israeli War. He was reassigned to Guam in 1968 where he flew C-130 weather reconnaissance aircrafts during 35 typhoon missions. He also frequently flew on highly classified missions throughout Southeast Asia and was awarded two additional Air Medals.
From 1970 to 1975, he served in academic assignments at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and Air Command and Staff College in Alabama, and was promoted to major in 1973.
From 1976-1977, he was assigned to Osan, Korea, flying the F-4E attack fighter on missions to defend the airspace along the DMZ border. He returned to the U.S. in 1978 and was promoted to Lt. Colonel, working in fighter operations developing force structure plans and later serving as the Chief of PACAF Exercise Programs
He was assigned to the Pentagon in 1981 to work in the Directorate of International Programs, where he coordinated USAF foreign military sales programs and worked closely with representatives of allied forces. He was promoted to colonel in 1982 and reassigned to the staff of the Secretary of Defense as the Chief of the European/African Operations Division in 1985. He worked in the Defense Security Assistance Agency and frequently chaired U.S. delegations that traveled to NATO and North African countries. He also was responsible for advising the U.S. State Department. He was assigned to North Africa as Chief of the Moroccan/United States Liaison Offices in 1989, and served as senior military advisor to the U.S. Ambassador. He served as the primary escort officer for Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Powell when they traveled to Morocco during the first Gulf War. He was reassigned to the Pentagon in 1991, to the Directorate of International Programs as Chief of the Saudi Arabian Division. He retired from the Air Force Dec. 31, 1991, after 34 years of military service. Born March 2, 1939, in Crystal City, he was the son of the late Roderique Joseph “Bill” and Mary Julia (Bachek) Burch.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years: Ellen (Porter) Burch; two sons: Brad Burch of Fillmore, Texas, and Jason Burch of Little Rock, Ark.; a sister: Mary Sue Roberts of Crystal City; a brother: Raymond Burch of Cathedral City, Calif.; and three grandchildren: Casey Lee, McKenna Lee and Nick Burch.
Visitation is from 10 a.m. until a funeral service at noon Tuesday, June 15, at Vinyard Funeral Home, 616 W. Main, in Festus, officiated by Pastor Terry Crank. Burial with full military honors is in the National Cemetery at Jefferson Barracks. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.