Tommy Koepke, veteran and cherished community member, received the Legionnaire Award for the State of Texas on July 12, 2025. This honor is awarded to one member of The American Legion out of 51,236 members. Mr. Koepke received this award because of his dedicated service to his country and community.
Mr. Koepke was born on August 10, 1941. Growing up he joined the Boy Scouts, earning 13 merit badges, including a marksmen first class and pro marksman badge. He joined the Air Force in 1959 and went through basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. He spent four years in the Air Force and finished his last year as part of the fire department and crash rescue at Thule Air Force Base in Thule, Greenland. He was honorably discharged in 1962.
Mr. Koepke went to work for NASA and worked as a fireman and, later, a fire inspector. After three years at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, he went to work for Gulf Oil in Baytown. Mr. Koepke worked there for seven years and then moved to Conroe to work for Gulf States Utilities Company until he retired in 1996. He and his wife then moved to Mason, Texas, to enjoy their retirement.
