When leadership was needed, in walked Tom Davitt. It never mattered whether the task at hand was a clandestine, after-taps event; a military field exercise or a corporate initiative, others always looked to him to lead the way. When friendship was required, Tom was always there. His influence was immense, his energy infectious and his loyalty unquestioned.
Thomas Gerard “Tom” Davitt started life in Rockville Centre, NY on December 21, 1959. He was raised by John (Jack) and Patricia Davitt in Massapequa, NY. Later, they would be surrogate parents to many cadets who boarded with them over numerous “carnage” weekends. At Massapequa High School, Tom excelled as an athlete, an academic, and a social coordinator. He was the starting center on his high school football team and a first-team lacrosse midfielder.
Tom loved life on Long Island, the place where his passions for sports and fast cars began. He was determined to share that life, especially the night life, with his friends. If they couldn’t get there, Tom would bring the island spirit to them. No reunion passes without classmates telling the stories that resulted from that spirit. Tom’s winning personality was so great that he was able to amalgamate people of disparate backgrounds into his group of friends. This was very apparent when his military friends mixed with his decidedly non-military buddies from Massapequa.
When Tom arrived at West Point, the Davitt’s became a third generation Army family. The legacy included his grandfather George, a Purple Heart recipient during the Great War, and his father Jack, who fought in the Pacific during World War II. Notably, Jack participated in the amphibious landings on Bougainville.
To their great good fortune, Tom stood formation with his companymates in North Area when Beast Barracks ended in the summer of 1978. They didn’t know it then, but the 33 strangers of the H-4 plebe class were soon to be forged into inseparable, lifelong friends. Throughout the rigors of plebe year and on, Tom was an invaluable friend. Always ready with a joke or an arm around the shoulder, Tom was a cornerstone of the 1982 H-4 “Hogs”. He took academics seriously and his sports even more so. He played JV lacrosse and later led the company intramural lacrosse and football teams.
Tom’s cadet career was a different matter. He looked at regulations as “excellent guidelines” to be adhered to—mostly. But his Long Island background created a love for the fun that called after taps. With “cards unmarked” Tom would lead missions off post almost every Friday and Saturday. These were meticulously planned to ensure stealth but always involved navigation of the treacherous “Ho Chi Minh trail.” When on leave, weekends usually meant heading to “the greatest bars in the world,” OBI South and Crawdaddies to name just two.
Not surprisingly, Tom influenced several “mass-demerit events.” Those that lost their weekends or their stripes will forever remember the impact Tom had on their cadet careers. Although never implicated himself, he remained the guy you wanted to be with at the bar. More importantly, he was the guy you wanted by your side if you had to fight your way out of that bar.
After graduating with a BS in engineering, he attended the Infantry Officer Basic Course and was assigned to Fort Ord, CA, serving in the 7th Infantry Division. Those that knew Tom then understood he had most of the keys for success. He found that missing key when he married the beautiful Linda O’Brien in 1983. Their wedding in the West Point Catholic Chapel started a loving, rewarding 38-year adventure. Linda provided a calm, moderating influence for Tom (and many of his friends!). If it’s true that “a successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person,” then Linda and Tom were perfect examples. Their friends took great pleasure in watching them as they raised a family and travelled through life.
After Ranger School in 1984, Tom moved on to Fort Benning, GA as a senior trainer at the Infantry School. While there, he qualified hundreds of officers, some who would become senior Army leaders and even Secretaries of Defense. He left the Army in 1988 having earned the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Ranger Tab and Parachutist Badge.
Tom then began his 32-year career with the Michelin Tire Corporation. From 1989 to June 1992, he was a territory representative in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was promoted to territory manager of the San Joaquin Valley in July 1992.
In 1995, Tom moved to Medina, OH, promoted to district truck tire sales manager of the Cleveland Region. More success followed with an assignment in Rocklin, CA as regional manager of the Sacramento Region. In 2002, Tom and family moved to Overland Park, KS where he became zone channel sales manager. Later, he became the strategic account manager in the refuse segment, North America. In 2013, Tom was the segment operations manager of refuse, construction, energy. In 2016, he advanced to director of sales, small fleet/Uniroyal truck, responsible for the successful launch of the new Uniroyal truck tire line. Tom’s last position began in 2019 as global manager, OE Defense Mobilities. He held that position until his death.
Tom loved his family: his wife, Linda; his son, Sean; and his daughters, Kelly, and Kaitlyn. He was a NY Rangers and Yankees fan and loved Ohio State football. To his students and employees, he was a doting mentor and an example of hard work and loyalty. To his friends, he was simply a great man.