Thomas A. Ross

Thomas A. (Tom) Ross, was raised in Pensacola, Florida where he lived with his family until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1966.

After receiving a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, Tom applied to and was accepted by the U.S. Army Special Forces, the elite unit also known as the "Green Berets". Compelled to serve at a time when our country's involvement in Southeast Asia was escalating, Tom volunteered for service in Vietnam.

After more than a year of unconventional warfare training, Tom was sent to South Vietnam as a military advisor. He arrived “in-country” during the infamous 1968 Tet Offensive that involved simultaneous enemy attacks all over South Vietnam. He was immediately assigned a combat position as the Operations and Intelligence Officer of Detachment A-502, the largest Special Forces "A" Team ever formed. These positions provided Tom with a unique vantage point from which he was able to observe both men and women as they coped with their wartime assignments.

After returning to the United States, Tom was shocked to learn that American civilians were spitting on the uniforms of returning soldiers while hurling hateful epithets at them. In response, he immediately began writing "Privileges of War", a book that tells good stories of the selfless and courageous deeds that he witnessed in Vietnam.

The book also recounts the inspiring true story of a unique rescue mission. When three brave mountain villagers escaped the enemy captors, who had enslaved and abused them for years, they made their way to one of A-502’s outposts.

After Tom was called to the outpost, the lead villager, Mang Quang, begged him for help in rescuing his family and the other families held hostage. Responding to a passionate plea for help, Tom planned and led a rescue team deep into enemy territory. Flown to the village by the 281st Assault Helicopter Company and guided by Mang Quang, mist was still rising from a steamy jungle when the team attacked early the next morning.

August 13, 1968, Walter Cronkite reported the story on the CBS Evening News. 165 men, women and children had been freed as a result of the daring and extremely dangerous rescue mission in — the Valley of the Tigers.

After military service, Tom took on less aggressive, more refined, more sophisticated roles. Very different from his military exploits, he served as an executive with a world-renowned jeweler where he hosted Audrey Hepburn to a Breakfast at Tiffany. His unique life experiences have resulted in invitations as a guest speaker as well as appearances on CNN, CNBC, NBC, and ABC television. Tom has also been a guest on various "talk" radio stations across the country.

Today, Tom is the President and CEO of his own successful custom design jewelry firm, The Ross Jewelry Company, in Atlanta, Georgia. Not surprisingly, he remains extremely dedicated to family, friends, community, and country.

By writing Privileges of War, Tom has brought a unique perspective to the view of American service during the Vietnam War. This book provides up-lifting and inspiring stories of men and women who served our country during a very difficult time in its history.