[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 20, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN MEMORY OF THOMAS WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 20, 2011

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in memory of Tom Williams, a big 
man with an even bigger heart who died last week in a tragic car 
accident.
  Tom, 56, was an engineer for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons 
Division, based at Point Mugu in my district and China Lake, for 38 
years. Most of his career was spent working on simulations of radar 
systems that could be used by America's enemies.
  The War Center's mission is to test weapon systems and Tom often 
assumed the persona of the ``bad guy'' to design and implement 
countermeasures.
  He was known as a great troubleshooter. Navy officials told the local 
newspaper that Tom ``could make complex radar systems work in the most 
hostile environments.''
  Tom's work had real-life implications and saved countless lives. 
During Desert Shield, he was sent to the Persian Gulf, where he 
developed a technique that allowed Navy aviators to jam Iraq's radar. 
That allowed the aviators to remain safe during their missions when 
Desert Shield became Desert Storm.
  Tom graduated from the Senior Executive Management Development 
Program at the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and was chosen to be 
a NAVAIR Associate Fellow, recognizing his expertise in the development 
of threat simulators. Tom eventually became the head of the Airborne 
Threat Simulation Team, serving at the Integrated Program Team Lead.
  A second-generation Californian, Tom began at the Warfare Center as 
an intern after graduating from Buena High School and retired in 2010, 
although he returned part-time nine months later to mentor and train 
new engineers.
  When not working at the base, Tom was active in local politics and 
helping colleagues with home improvement projects. Woodworking was a 
hobby, and he enjoyed playing golf, pursuing photography, and traveling 
with his wife, Barbara. Barbara also worked at the Warfare Center, 
where the two met, and retired in 2009.
  In addition to Barbara, Tom is survived by their son, David, and 
David's fiancee, Kaylan Danielson.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join my wife, Janice, and me in 
remembering our personal friend Thomas Williams, in thanking him for 
his lifetime of work to protect our military men and women, and in 
offering our sincere condolences to Barbara, David, Kaylan, and to all 
who knew and loved him. He will be missed.

                          ____________________