Thomas Cato Tillar Sr.

He was laid to rest in Emporia, Virginia on December 9, 2003.

Upon his release from the service, he re-enrolled in Virginia Polytechnic Institute to complete his degree. He enrolled in the industrial engineering and organization research. He became a member of the German Club in the fall of 1946 and participated actively in its reactivation program on campus. He graduated in June 1948 and returned to Emporia to take over the family business started by his great-grandfather.

Thomas married his longtime sweetheart from Willian and Mary, Ruth Weimer, in June 1946. He and Ruth W. Tillar had two children, Thomas Cato Tillar Jr., and Elizabeth Tillar.

Just before dawn on September 12, 1944, he climbed into his F6F Hellcat and took off from the USS Hornet (CV-12). Air Group 2 was bombing an island of Cebu in the Philippines. Ensign Tillar became embroiled in a dogfight among three Japanese fighters, downing one of their planes before his plane was shot down. Tillar ditched the damaged aircraft and clamored aboard his life raft. He found himself about 600 yards from the small island of Apit, which was about 4 miles west of Leyte. Friendly Filipinos in outriggers retrieved him from the water. Once on shore, out of the crowd of 200 emerged a young man, Sosa, who offered to interpret. The people brought Tillar’s gear ashore and stored it in an American-built water tank. Once settled, Sosa surprised Tillar by showing him his Philippine Army papers. He had been captured by the Japanese and been imprisoned on Luzon, escaping 18 months earlier. Apit had become his hiding place.

Enisgn Tillar volunteered for flight training and became a naval aviator in 1943. He would become one of 14 pilots who joined Bill Dean’s famed Fighting 2 aboard the carrier USS Hornet (CV-12) in September 1944. After completing his tour with VF-2, Tillar was transferred to VF-11 and finished his combat service in the Pacific as part of that squadron.

Thomas enrolled in Virginia Polytechnic Institute in the fall of 1941 from Emporia, Virginia. He was in N Battery on the Upper Quad and was among those who became Private first class in his sophomore year in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, an early sign of leadership recognition.

Lieutenant Thomas Cato Tillar (January 16, 1924 - December 9, 2003) was an American naval aviator of the United States Navy who on September 12, 1944 by the words of President Roosevelt hastened the liberation of the Philippines and the final days of victory.