Posted on 11/14/2018
Col. William Thomas (Tom) Sinnott III, USMC, Ret., died on Veterans Day, November 11, 2018, of complications from vascular dementia in Annapolis, MD. He was 83. Born April 23, 1935, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the son of the late Elizabeth Carroll Sinnott and William Thomas Sinnott, Jr. After graduating from St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland in 1953, Tom attended Columbia Prep School in Washington D.C., where he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and worked on aircraft at Anacostia Naval Air Station in MD. Tom received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in 1954. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1958, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps and was assigned to Basic School Training in Quantico, VA. From there, he attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, FL, and was appointed a Naval Aviator in September 1960. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1981. He served in Wing Equipment Repair Squadron 36, HMM 363, Marine Air Group 36, HMM 362, Marine Air Base Squadron 36, and Marine Air Base Squadron 24. His duties included training operations, schooling, and tactical assignments in support of Marine Corps search and rescue missions and ground troop activities. Tom served three tours in Vietnam (1962, 1966, 1970), and Japan. From 1971-1974, he was a Company Officer and Battalion Officer at the US Naval Academy. In April 1980, he helped plan the Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission (Operation Eagle Claw). Over the span of his career, Tom logged over 4,000 hours of flight time in support of Marine Corps ground troops flying H-34 (Huey) and CH 53 (Sea Stallion) helicopters. He was Squadron Commanding Officer of CH 53 HMH- 463 in Kaneohe, HI. During Tom's 30 year career as a US Marine, he earned the Legion of Merit, Air Medal with 30 Strike-Flight Awards, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the following Republic of Vietnam awards and citations: Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation Gallantry Cross, Meritorious Unit Citation Civic Actions, Campaign Medal, and Cross of Gallantry. After retiring from the Marine Corps in 1983, Tom was employed by Logistics Management Engineering, Inc. in Annapolis from 1983-1998. He was Program Manager, supporting the US Navy at Naval Air Stations in Patuxent River, MD, and Warminster, PA. He worked on Aircrew-Life Support Equipment programs to improve the safety and welfare of warfighters. Tom was an active member of the "Great Class of 1958" from the Naval Academy. He was a Trustee of the United States Naval Academy Foundation for 26 years and was designated a Trustee Emeritus. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Parish in Annapolis for 38 years. Tom was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who loved spending time with his family; he was a proud cheerleader at his grandchildren's sporting events, plays, and concerts, and he always looked forward to attending Grandparents Day at their schools. Tom enjoyed playing tennis and golf and was a passionate football fan of Navy, University of Notre Dame, and the Baltimore Ravens of which he was a season ticket-holder. Tom is survived by Nancy McAnerney Sinnott, his wife of 60 years; children Anne Marie Aiello, William Thomas Sinnott IV (Nina), Colleen Mack (Vince), Jim Sinnott (Mary), Kathleen Lupinek; grandchildren Kelsey Aiello, John Michael Aiello, William Thomas Sinnott V, Claire Sinnott, Scott Sinnott, Alex Mack, Abby Mack, Molly Sinnott, Sarah Sinnott, Charlie Sinnott, Joey Lupinek; step-grandchildren, Jessica Beers (Andrew), Jamie Lupinek, Elizabeth Giles (Steve), Courtney Lupinek (Courtney Sokol-Lupinek) and their father, Joe Lupinek; sisters Carroll Dietzel (George), Peggy Brock (Ted), Sister M. St. John, PCC (Nancy Gilmore); preceded in death by sisters Nancy Murphy (Gregory), Eileen Gold (Richard), Patricia Dusenbury ( Bud), Jackie Rhoney ( Richard). The family will receive friends at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester St., Annapolis, MD 21401 on Fri., November 16 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, 109 Duke of Gloucester St., Annapolis, MD 21401 on Sat., November 17 at 9 a.m. Interment at Saint Mary's Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the United States Naval Academy Foundation's Athletic Excellence Program through the donate tab at www.usna.com. An online guest book is available at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com
John M. Taylor Funeral Home
147 DUKE OF GLOUCESTER ST
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 263-4422
Published in The Capital Gazette on Nov. 14, 2018