Tom was born September 4, 1925, in St. Cloud to Thomas W Tolman and Judith Schmitt Tolman. Tom was the oldest of 3 children. He has a sister Ruth (Tolman) Helland and a brother Charles “Joe” Tolman. Tom attended St. Cloud Tech High School where he was on the varsity football team for four undefeated years. Upon graduation Tom immediately joined the Navy to help the United States during the World War II. Tom was assigned to the USS Herbert Thomas a “tin can” destroyer, as a torpedo man. His ship spent time patrolling the coast of occupied Japan.