Thomas Barnes was born on November 16, 1930, in Chester, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on April 14, 1949, and completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, in June 1949. Amn Barnes next attended aircraft maintenance school, hydraulic mechanic training, and C-54 Skymaster mechanic training at Chanute AFB, Illinois, from August 1949 to August 1950, followed by service as an aircraft mechanic and then flight engineer with the 4th Troop Carrier Squadron at McChord AFB, Washington, from September 1950 to September 1951, and then deployed with his unit to Tachikawa AB, Japan, in support of the Korean War from October to November 1951. Sgt Barnes then served as a flight engineer with the 14th Troop Carrier Squadron at Tachikawa AB from November 1951 until he returned to the United States in May 1952. He served at the 1704th Aerial Port Squadron at Travis AFB, California, from May to June 1952, and then with the 1253rd Air Transport Squadron at Westover AFB, Massachusetts, from June to July 1952. Sgt Barnes served as a C-118 Liftmaster flight engineer with the 30th Air Transport Squadron at Westover AFB from July to November 1952, and then with the 1403rd Maintenance Squadron and the 1402nd and then the 1403rd Flightline Maintenance Squadrons at Andrews AFB, Maryland, from November 1952 to July 1958. During this time he served as a flight engineer aboard B-25 Mitchell, C-45 Expeditor, and C-47 Dakota aircraft. His next assignment was as a B-52 Stratofortress maintenance technician with the 75th Bomb Squadron at Loring AFB, Maine, from August 1958 to June 1959, followed by service as a B-52 crew chief with the 42nd Organizational Maintenance Squadron at Loring AFB from June 1959 to March 1963. Sgt Barnes served as a senior controller with the 42nd Bomb Wing at Loring AFB from March 1963 to September 1965, and then at Fairchild AFB, Washington, from September 1965 to October 1966. He trained as an F-4 Phantom II maintenance technician at George AFB, California, from October to December 1966, followed by service as NCOIC of the Repairable Processing Center, as a Senior Controller, and as NCOIC of Maintenance Control with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from December 1966 to December 1967. His next assignment was as a T-38 Talon section line chief, NCOIC of Maintenance Control, and then as Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commander of the 3646th Pilot Training Wing at Laughlin AFB, Texas, from December 1967 to October 1971, followed by service as Command Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commander of Air Training Command at Randolph AFB, Texas, from October 1971 to August 1973. CMSgt Barnes' final assignment was as the 4th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from October 1, 1973, until his retirement from the Air Force on August 1, 1977. Thomas Barnes died on March 17, 2003, and was buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Honey Grove, Texas.