Tom was born in Holland on October 3, 1930 in the midst of the depression. 
The family had just moved from Voorburg into a new home on the Mient in The Hague.
Then came the war on May 10, 1940 followed by the German occupation. 

D-Day on June 6, 1944! 
It appeared by mid- September that liberation was really near but suddenly the frontlines in Holland would come to a grinding halt. South of the big rivers Holland had been liberated while the Northern part would remain occupied for another 8 months. 

After the battle of Arnhem on September 17, 1944 had failed, all men from 16 to 60 years old - not having a special permit -were picked up by the Germans during 2 days of raids in October 1944. 
Tom's brother Henk had just become 16 years old. They both fled the city into the countryside soon after the raids with about 30 others under the guidance of a Jesuit priest attached to the college on which Henk was studying.
By staying on a farm they also escaped the infamous "hunger winter" during which many people died of starvation.
The two brothers stayed until the end of the war on a farm in Burgerbrug a small town in the Northern part of the country. 

In September, 1945 the schools in The Hague re-opened and he continued with his high school education.
This was followed by his studies on the navigation school. In August, 1949 he started his career at sea.

During the following 12 years he returned  home every about two years in order to study for the next license and eventually finished his master degree in October, 1962.

In 1956 the van Deursen family had moved in next door and that is when he and Mieke became neighbors. 
In 1957 Tom's mother had died and he continued to live in the elderly home on the Mient with his father.
During the homecomings from his sea duties the friendship between Tom and Mieke grew steadily and eventually they married in 1964 and settled down on the Mient.
However not for long because in 1965 Tom had to leave for Bermuda and in 1966 Mieke followed him with Elleke.
In December, 1967 the family returned to Holland for a vacation where in March Mieke gave birth to Frank.
In February 1968 he started working in the States and 4 months later Mieke and the kids followed him.

Tom is the youngest of 4 children. He has one brother and two sisters.
He is the only family member who emigrated to the United States.

If you are interested in where Tom spent his time during WWII go to the next page.