Roll Call Tribute

Thomas G. Darling, Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret) 

April 30, 1932 - May 9, 2026 

General Darling was born in Abilene, Texas and graduated from Abilene High School in 1950. He earned a B.S. degree in 1954 from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. At A&M he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and was a distinguished graduate of Air Force ROTC.

During a 33-year Air Force career, Gen. Darling served over 12 years as a B-36/B-52 pilot and aircraft commander before assuming various staff and command positions. These positions included: Air Force personnel plans officer, the Pentagon; executive assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affair, the Pentagon; Commander of the 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville AFB, Arkansas; Chief of Aircrew Training for Strategic Air Command (SAC), Offutt AFB, Nebraska; Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia; Vice Commander of Fifteenth Air Force, March AFB, California; and Deputy Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command, Norfolk, Virginia with concurrent responsibilities as Chief of Staff. Gen. Darling retired from the Air Force in 1987 to accept the position of Commandant of Cadets at Texas A&M University and to serve as Head of the School of Military Sciences.

While in the Air Force, Gen. Darling earned a M.S. degree in Public Administration from George Washington University and completed the Management Program for Executives at the University of Pittsburg. He also graduated from the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama and the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.

A command pilot, Gen. Darling accumulated more than 7,000 hours of flying time, including over 500 combat hours in B-52s during the Vietnam war. His military decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, and two Legions of Merit.

Gen. Darling began his work as A&M Commandant in July 1987. He served nine years in this position. His achievements include building the Sanders Corps of Cadets Center, disbanding the Corps’ two female units and integrating female cadets into male units, initiating the Corps Hall of Honor program, establishing a Cadet Academic Honor Roll program, making “grades” the Corps’ highest priority, starting a Corps academic support program, and establishing a formalized cadet recruiting program. He stepped down from the Commandant position in 1996 to head a university capital campaign that had a goal of raising $25 million in support of the A&M Corps of Cadets. He served six years in this fundraising role, raising more than $33 million in gifts and pledges for the Corps.

Upon retirement as Commandant in 1996, he was named Commandant Emeritus by the A&M board of regents and presented the President’s Achievement Medal by then President, Dr. Ray M. Bowen’58. Gen. Darling retired from Texas A&M University in 2002. He was selected for the Corps Hall of Honor Award in 2001 and named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University in 2014.

With his wife, Evelyn (deceased 2005), he has a son, David, and daughter, Suzanne. David graduated from A&M in 1980 and worked for Shell in Houston for 35 years. David and wife, Jean, have two daughters, Allison (Joseph Adams) and Kate. They also have two great grandsons Emmet and Hugh Adams. Daughter Suzanne is an attorney who lives in Richmond, Virginia. Gen. Darling and wife Kathleen, reside in College Station. Kathleen has one son, Dakota, of Austin. Gen. Darling has been an active member of First Baptist Church, College Station since 1987.

Gen. Darling has been a Christian and Baptist since he was 12 years old. He served in churches in numerous states including Texas, Arizona, California, Alabama, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Georgia, Arkansas, Virginia – and overseas. His areas of service included administration, teaching, training, finance, outreach, and over 50 years as an active deacon.

Yardwork, gardening, and fixit projects consumed much of his spare time and were activities he deeply enjoyed. Fishing, golfing, and walking were among his favorite activities until his later years. Reading the morning newspaper from cover to cover was a daily ritual from an early age. He particularly enjoyed reading the sports pages and stories where the Aggies, Cowboys and Astros, his favorite teams, were mentioned. As a teenager, he could remember the weekly batting average of most major league players. His reading interest went well beyond sports information and included matters of local, state, and national interest.

Gen. Darling was preceded in death by his parents Everett and Virginia (Redmon) Darling, brother Jim Darling, and wife Evelyn Redden Darling.

He is survived by his wife Kathleen (Kit) Darling, sister Mary Brooks; sister-in-law Ruth Darling, son and daughter-in-law, David and Jean Darling of Katy, TX.; daughter Suzanne Darling of Richmond, VA; two granddaughters, Allison Darling Adams and Kate Darling of Katy, TX; and two great grandsons Emmet and Hugh Adams; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Gen. Darling has finished a book that is a historical record of his 15 years working with the A&M Corps of Cadets. It includes the ups and downs of the Corps, cadet life, problem areas, fundraising, new features that were added, along with successes and failures. The book has been approved for publication by the Texas A&M Press and is expected to be available by the end of December 2026.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Texas A&M Foundation, the Corps of Cadets Association, or a favorite charitable organization.