The 1993 Norwich Native Son, Brigadier General Thomas Mikolajcik was the son of Teofila and Roy Mikolajcik. Upon graduating from Norwich Free Academy and after a year at the University of Connecticut, he received an appointment to the US Air Force Academy and graduated in 1969.
He completed pilot training in 1970, and served as a C-141 pilot, instructor, aircraft commander, war plans officer, current operations officer, mobility project officer, and adviser to the chief of staff for airlift and logistics policy. He also served as squadron commander, wing vice commander and commander of two wings.
He was the U.S. Air Force component commander in Somalia from December 1992 to March 1993 during Operation Restore Hope.
Thomas Mikolajcik’s awards include the Legion of Merit (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters).
His final Air Force assignment was Director of Transportation of USAF Headquarters, The Pentagon, Washington, DC. He received the Order of the Palmetto in 1994 and was honored by the dedication of the Mikolajcik Engineering Laboratory, SPAWAR, and the Brigadier General Thomas R. Mikolajcik Childcare Center, Charleston, AFB.
He passed away in 2010 after a long and courageous struggle with ALS. Here’s a 2010 article from The Post and Courier about Mikolajcik’s battle against Lou Gehrig’s Disease.