Tom Mravak CCT ’64 AFA ‘66
Brother • Class Of 1964, 1966
Thomas Anthony Mravak
Captain 555TH TAC FTR SQDN, 8TH TAC FTR WING, 7TH AF United States Air Force
Tom was part of the first Delta Upsilon pledge class at Clarkson. He helped us hide dimes and quarters in phone booths around Potsdam so we would have money to buy food and make phone calls during Hell Week. He stood tall with us at our induction into the brotherhood. The ceremony took place in Trinity Episcopal Church on a warm Sunday fall afternoon in 1962 with multicolored rays of sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows.
He finished his sophomore year at Clarkson, but did not spend the summer in his hometown of Ossining, NY. Instead, he packed his belongings and made his way to the U.S. Air Force Academy where its core values are: “Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.” During his time at the academy, he became lead singer in a cadet rock group called the Flameouts and would graduate four years later in the academy’s seventh Commencement Ceremony. Then he began training as a fighter pilot. When he graduated fighter school, he was commissioned Captain and deployed to the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force.
He died when his F-4D crashed from non-hostile action and burned 11 miles from the approach end of the runway at Udorn Airfield in northern Thailand. His remains are interred at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs, CO.
The Flameouts, a 1966 rock n roll band from the USAF Academy, went to Hollywood Columbia Studios and made a 45 rpm record.
“Lead singer Tom Mravak wrote the song, we recorded it something less than 3 or 4 takes. Mravak was killed in Feb 1971 when his F-4 Phantom crashed just short of the runway at Udom Air Base, Thailand. Gary Mueller, drummer was also flying F-4 aircraft at the base at the and I arrived in September 1971 at Udorn, to fly the RF-4C, photo recon version ofthe F-4 until 1973. Bill Berry last known to live in Ft Worth, havent seen him since 1966 when he graduated from ‘the zoo.’
Jerry Becker wrote all the harmony and background vocals on this one. He and Tom lead the band and were our lead singers for all songs. Jerry was lest known to be flying ‘aggressor aircraft ‘ in air combat tactics at Holloman Air Force Base New Mexico but that was 30 years ago. No idea where he is now.
Bill Todd was not really a Flameout— he was a quick replacement for the Hollywood trip in April 1966. because the usual bass player, Mason Botts, was on 'academic probation' and couId not leave the Academy. The bass player in the photo is Dan Lavrich, who was a freshman ('doolie') and couldn’t get off base for much but did play bass for us now and then and was availeble for the photo shoot .
Bill Berry wrote the musical lead and guitar break in the middle and played lead guitar on Fun Girl, I just played rhythm guitar. I just retired as a Boeing 747-400 Captain from United Airlines.
I still play guitar now and their but not often enough!
Listen for "No flies on that, Bubba!"' after the lead guitar break. Jerry Becker telling Bill Berry his guitar lead was terrific! It came from joke we heard that day you had to be there.”
The Flameouts, a 1966 rock n roll band from the USAF “Academy, went to Hollywood Columbia Studios and made a 45 rpm record. Lead singer Tom Mravak wrote the song, we recorded it something less than 3 or 4 takes.”
“Flameouts - I Won't Cry, 60's garage rock n roll from the USAF Academy. Recorded in Hollywood, 1966.”