Tom Sumpter was born on July 23, 1928, in Nashville, Tennessee. He enlisted in the Air Force Reserve on June 23, 1948, and attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville before entering the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force for Observer training on August 30, 1952. A3C Sumpter was commissioned a 2d Lt in the U.S. Air Force at Mather AFB, California, on May 5, 1954, and then attended Aircraft Performance Engineer training at Mather AFB from May to October 1954. His first assignment was as a B-36 Peacemaker Aircraft Performance Engineer with the 40th Bomb Squadron at Walker AFB, New Mexico, from November 1954 to October 1956, followed by Navigator Reconnaissance Bombardier training at Mather AFB from October 1956 to February 1957. He was pulled from this course before completion to attend the Navigator Electronic Countermeasures Officer Course at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, from March to October 1957. He served as an RB-66 Destroyer Electronic Warfare Officer with the 42nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, West Germany, from December 1957 to June 1959, and then as Assistant Chief of Maintenance with the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at RAF Alconbury, England, from June 1959 to November 1960. Capt Sumpter next served as an Electro-Magnetic Warfare Officer with the Air Proving Ground Center at Eglin AFB, Florida, from December 1960 to September 1963, followed by an Operation Bootstrap assignment to complete his bachelor's degree at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, from September 1963 to August 1964. He returned to the Air Proving Ground Center as a Senior Project Officer with the ECM Project Division at Eglin AFB from August 1964 to June 1966, and then received an Air Force Institute of Technology assignment to complete his master's degree at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California, from June 1966 to August 1967. Major Sumpter next attended EB-66 Electronic Warfare Officer training, followed by service as an EB-66 EWO with the 41st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from December 1967 until he was forced to eject from his stricken aircraft over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on January 14, 1968. After spending 1,887 days in captivity, Lt Col Sumpter was released during Operation Homecoming on March 14, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and then attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C., from August 1973 to July 1974. His final assignment was as Special Assistant to the Strategic Planning Officer Director at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, from July 1974 until his retirement from the Air Force on May 1, 1976. Tom Sumpter died on February 26, 1995, and was buried at the Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

His Silver Star Citation reads:

Major Thomas W. Sumpter Jr. distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as an EB-66C Electronic Warfare Officer over North Vietnam on 14 January 1968. On that date, Major Sumpter, by his outstanding display of professionalism and courage in the face of hostile fire from unfriendly forces, was highly instrumental in the overall success of the air operation. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Major Sumpter has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.