A Son of Philly in His Own Words is a brief biography of my father, Thomas P. Haney. Tom was a humble and unassuming man, who lived with dignity, faith, and humor. He performed extraordinary feats while fighting for his country and in his role as the father of eleven children.

In writing his biography, I have drawn on conversations I had with my father and the stories my mother shared with me about my father during her lifetime. To put the story of Tom’s life in perspective, I have set the stage with current historical events surrounding that time.

I’ve shared Tom’s own words from conversations with him and an audiotape of his experiences in World War II, which he made “for his children and especially for his grandchildren” in the early nineties. Note: the audiotape excerpts, in his own words, are shown in a different font to distinguish them from the rest of the text.

I have also incorporated excerpts from the love letters he sent my mother during the war and the presentation he gave at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum for his family and friends of the museum in 2011.

Included in Tom’s biography are details of some of the missions he flew on in World War II and the medals he earned for his bravery and his dedication to duty.