Tom was born and raised in the Cool Springs Community and his parents were Joseph Lafayette Winkler and Mary Aurelia Terry.

He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in his early 20's and was assigned to a center located in Oregon. The CCC operated from 1933 until 1942 and gave work and training to over 500,000 young men throughout the United States. It achieved great success with its programs of flood control, forestry and soil conservation.

Tom joined the US Army in 1942 and served 3 years and 8 months as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne and achieved the rank of Tech Sergeant. He was in the Battle of the Bulge, also in the battles at Normandy, the Ardennes Mountains in Belgium and the Rhineland in Western Germany. He was awarded the Distinguished Unit Medal and European And Middle East Theatre of Operations Medal for valor.

He later married Polly Harrison.

Tom was appointed the Director of Fort Mountain State Park with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and stayed at this position for 30 + years.

Submitted by Tom Patterson

 

Murray County Families