Published: November 05, 2009 10:28 am      

Bambrick served in the Pacific during World War II

San Marcos — Houston native Tom Bambrick joined the U.S. Naval Reserves in 1942 so he could finish out the year of college at Northwestern Louisiana University in Natchitoches, La., where he had a football scholarship.

When the year was up, he failed the physical for the Navy Air Force because of his eyes so he went on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps.

After basic training in San Diego, he was assigned to Camp Lajune, N.C., and then went to officer candidate school at Quantico, Va, where he was commissioned as a Second lieutenant. Then it was on to Camp Pendleton, Calif., before being shipped overseas. He joined the 22nd Regiment of the Sixth Marine Division in Guam and then went to Okinawa in 1945.

After fighting in Okinawa, he was sent to North China for the Asiatic Theatre in the fall of 1945. Before they were sent to battle, the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan, and the war was, for all practical purposes, over.

First Lt. Bambrick was injured in a truck accident in North China in 1946, and, after spending five or six weeks in the hospital, he was shipped home to Houston. He stayed in the Marine Reserves and returned to Northwestern Louisiana University to complete his final year of college. He received his bachelor of science degree in physical education and mathematics in 1947. During his senior year, he was chosen for Who's Who Among Students at American Colleges and Universities.

With degree in hand, Tom was hired as the first athletic director and head football and track coach at Spring Branch High School in 1947 and thought his new career was underway.

In 1950, the Korean conflict was building, and he was recalled to active duty, returning to Quantico, Va. From there he expected to ship out to Korea, but, because of his old injuries, he was sent back home with the Marine Reserves. He spent the next four years as an ordinance inspector at the Dixon Gun Plant in Houston.

In 1954, Bambrick returned to coaching football and track and teaching math at Spring Branch High School where he stayed until accepting the athletic director's and head football coaching position at La Grange High School.

Tom and his wife of 66 years, Juanita, moved to San Marcos in 1965 where he became physical education teacher and intramural director at Gary Job Corps. In 1971, he was employed to manage the old Coca-Cola plant in San Marcos before becoming the distributive education coordinator at San Marcos High School where he retired in 1982.

During their years in San Marcos, Mrs. Bambrick was the office education coordinator at San Marcos High before teaching at what is now Texas State University where she retired in 1982.

Tom Bambrick is proud of his service to his country and of the awards and recognition his unit received. His unit received the Presidential Citation for Action on Okinawa and a Certificate of Recognition from the Secretary of Defense for service during the cold war.

Although Tom's failing eyesight and difficulty walking limit his activities these days, he and Juanita remain active at First Methodist Church.