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Airman Second Class Thomas Lee Conley

A young African American man wearing a jacket and tie.
  • Unit: 4756th Drone Squadron
  • Date of Birth: September 2, 1932
  • Entered the Military: May 20, 1955
  • Date of Death: February 4, 2015
  • Hometown: Canton, North Carolina
  • Place of Death: Asheville, North Carolina
  • Award(s): Good Conduct Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
  • Cemetery: Section 4B, Site 3. Western Carolina State Veteran Cemetery, Black Mountain, North Carolina
Contributed by Tatum Griffin, Parker Hughes, Ennis Marcus, and Angie Martinez Yanez
Mentored by Mrs. Cecilia Ruth Marcus
Smoky Mountain High School
2024/2025

Early Life

Thomas Lee Conley was born on September 2, 1932 in Canton, North Carolina. His father, Reverend James Conley, was a U.S. Army soldier who served in World War I and supported the family by working as a laborer in a paper mill. His mother was Nannie Belle Fretwell Conley. Thomas was raised with four brothers and five sisters. 

Conley attended Reynolds High School, the only predominantly Black high school in Haywood County. Until the school was built in 1948, African Americans did not have an opportunity to attend high school in Haywood County. The school consisted of eight classrooms, a library, a gymnasium/auditorium, a lunch room, and a shop for vocational training.  

After high school, Conley attended Johnson C. Smith University, a private, historically Black university in Charlotte, North Carolina. Conley was known for his exceptional mathematical aptitude. In high school, he was said to have assisted his teachers in teaching math, which reportedly continued with his college professors. 

Thomas Conley’s birth record, September 2, 1932. State of North Carolina.
A picture of the graduating class of the Reynolds School in 1955. This photograph appears to include Conley’s younger brother, Paul. Canton Historical Museum, Haywood Snapshot Project.
Thomas Conley’s junior yearbook picture in the Johnson C. Smith University yearbook, The Golden Bull, 1954. North Carolina Collections, Digital NC.

Homefront

Haywood County, established in 1808, is the third-largest county in Western North Carolina, with a population of 57,000. It includes the towns of Canton, Clyde, Maggie Valley, and Waynesville, with Waynesville serving as the county seat. The area has been recognized for its natural beauty and charm. 

During World War II and the Korean War, the Dayton Rubber Company in Hazelwood produced vital materials for the defense effort. Additionally, Haywood County participated in the 1942 scrap metal drive, where local schools and communities collected materials to support the war. The county also underwent significant change in the 1950s with the construction of Interstate 40, which promised lasting economic growth. 

Overall, Haywood County’s history reflects contributions to national efforts, economic changes, and struggles for racial equality, all of which have shaped the community over time.

Aerial photograph of Canton, North Carolina. Canton Area Historical Museum, Western Carolina University.

Military Experience

Thomas Lee Conley enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on May 20, 1955. Conley received his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and served in the 4756th Drone Squadron. In the 1950s, drone squadrons were used to test nuclear and missile weapons. Drones were also used to survey the battlefield and enhance the strike capability. 

During his time in the military, Conley served as a system mechanic in Charlotte, North Carolina. After four years of service, he was discharged in Panama City Beach, Florida, on February 27, 1959.

Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, 1988. Texas State Historical Association.
Patch signifying the 4756th Air Defense Wing. Wikimedia Commons.

Veteran Experience

Thomas Conley met his wife, Norene, while serving in Arizona. He loved sharing the story of how they met with family and friends. He first saw Norene playing pool in a bar, walked over to her, and boldly declared that he was going to marry her. After his military service ended, Thomas brought Norene 3,000 miles back to Canton, North Carolina, where they were married and lived for 55 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Conley had three sons, Russ, Kevin, and James; and two daughters, Dionne and Denise. After the war, Conley served as a deacon at New Bethel Baptist Church. Continuing his path in Christ, he was also a member of the Laymen’s League of Asheville. Their mission was to cultivate the Christian life of laymen through study, workshop, fellowship, and service. He also participated in prison ministry, visiting inmates at Craggy Prison on Wednesdays. 

Conley demonstrated a strong commitment to his community members with tax preparation. Conley was a purchasing supervisor for 31 years at Eaton Cutler Hammer.

Thomas and Noreen Conley on their wedding day. Ray Funeral and Cremation Service.
Thomas and Noreen Conley. Ray Funeral and Cremation Service.

Commemoration

At the time of his passing, Conley was survived by eleven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He died on February 4, 2015, in Asheville, North Carolina. His wife, Noreen, died five years later. They are buried together at the Western Carolina State Veteran Cemetery in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Thomas and Norene Conley’s grave marker at the Western Carolina State Veteran Cemetery in Black Mountain, North Carolina, March 20, 2025.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Conley, Kevin. Telephone interview with the author. February 3, 2025.

The Golden Bull. Johnson C. Smith University, 1954. North Carolina Collections, Digital NC. https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/28329?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=-405%2C0%2C5330%2C3091&cv=29.

“Noreen Conley.” Ray Funeral and Cremation Service. Accessed October 15, 2024. https://www.rayfuneralcremation.com/obituary/norene-conley. 

North Carolina. Haywood Country. 1950 U.S Federal  Census. Digital Images https://ancestryclassroom.com.

North Carolina. Haywood Country. 1950 U.S Federal Census. Digital Images https://ancestryclassroom.com.

Thomas Lee Conley, Final Pay Voucher, Department of the Army. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Thomas Lee Conley, Freedom of Information Act Request. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

“Thomas Lee Conley.” Hart Funeral Service. Accessed October 15, 2024. https://www.hartfuneralservice.com/obituary/2971482.

Thomas Lee Conley. North Carolina, U.S., Birth Indexes, 1800-2000. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

Secondary Sources

4756th Air Defense Wing Patch. Wikimedia Commons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4756th_Air_Defense_Wing. 

“Canton, NC, History.”  Visit Haywood Western NC Mountains.  Accessed November 5, 2024.  https://visithaywood.com/mountain-towns/canton/. 

“Canton, North Carolina.” Town of Canton. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www.cantonnc.com/.

“Champion Pulp and Paper Mill in Canton, NC, Timeline.” Forest History Society. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://foresthistory.org/digital-collections/champion-pulp-and-paper-mill-in-canton-nc-timeline/. 

“Early leaders Altered Haywoods’s History.” The Mountaineer [Waynesville, NC], January 6, 2013.

Emblem of the U.S. Air Force Air Defense Command (1946-1968). Wikimedia Commons.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4756th_Air_Defense_Group. 

“How Haywood County Rallied To the Cause during WWII Scrap Metal Drive.” The Mountaineer [Waynesville, NC] November 6, 2023.

Leatherwood, Art. “Lackland Air Force Base.” Updated August 21, 2024. Accessed April 14, 2025. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/lackland-air-force-base.

“National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Canton Main Street Historic District.” National Park Service. Updated July 18, 2005. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://files.nc.gov/historic-preservation/nr/HW0160.pdf.

“Rev. James Calvin Conley.” Find A Grave. Updated November 10, 2011. Accessed October 15, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80175104/james_calvin_conley.

“Reynolds School.” Haywood Snapshot Project. Reynolds School. Assessed November 8, 2024. https://www.haywoodsnapshotproject.com/reynolds-school.

“The History of Haywood County, NC.” Visit Haywood Western NC Mountains. Accessed November 8, 2024. https://visithaywood.com/blog/history-of-haywood-county-nc/.

“Thomas Lee Conley.” Find a Grave. Updated April 11, 2015. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://wwwfindagrave.com/memorial/144862522/thomas-lee-conley.

“Thomas Lee Conley.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed April 8, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/THOMASLEECONLEY/4EB156.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.