Thomas J. Redgate

Thomas Justin Redgate was born on April 13, 1926 in Medford, MA and died December 11, 1950 in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  The son of Howard V.  and Agnes M. (Kiely) Redgate, he grew up in Brighton, MA.  On May 19, 1943, he enlisted as a private in the Enlisted Reserve Corps and was called to active duty on April 20, 1944.  During World War II, Mr. Redgate served in this country as an airplane and engine mechanic until his honorable discharge on November 8, 1945.

In 1946, Tommy  entered the freshman class in the College of Business Administration at Boston College, one of 894 freshman who were military veterans.  While at B.C., Mr. Redgate participated in the intramural sailing season in November 1946.  He studied at Boston College for two years until reenlisting in the U.S. Army November 26, 1948.  After receiving training at Camp Lee in Virginia, First Lieutenant Redgate, was deployed to Korea in August 1950 as a forward observer in Able Battery, 48th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division (ID).  His unit was on the eastern side of the Chosin Reservoir when they were attacked by Chinese and North Korean forces on November 27, 1950.  On December 11, 1950 he was listed as unaccounted for, and a presumptive finding of death was issued on December 31, 1953.

At the time, First Lieutenant Redgate was survived by his mother, his sister Irene Redgate Bloniarz, and his brothers Howard V. Redgate Jr. and Laurence K. Redgate.  He is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, HI.

On April 16, 2020, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency reported a finding of a DNA match to remains that had been turned over to the United States from North Korea (DPRK) in 2018.  As with so many things in the time of COVID, burial had to be delayed.  The family is happy to welcome him home to his native state in September and lay him to a final rest in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA.

First Lieutenant Redgate is survived by his sister-in-law Ellen O’Hearn Redgate.  His siblings’ ten children are pleased and honored to give their uncle the burial and recognition their parents were unable to provide.

Funeral from the Lehman, Reen, & McNamara Funeral Home, 63 Chestnut Hill Ave. BRIGHTON, Friday, September 17th at 9:00am. followed by a Requiem Mass in St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, 28 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill at 10:00am. Visiting hours at the funeral home Thursday, September 16th from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Interment in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne at 2:30pm.

Due to COVID concerns, attendees will be required to wear masks. 

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