Fred Tomasello Jr.

Fred Tomasello Jr. served three years as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, including a combat tour in Vietnam. He was awarded two Purple Hearts and five Air Medals—and returned home carrying what he describes as “a heavy dose of post-traumatic stress.”

Born and raised in West Tampa, Florida, Fred graduated from the University of South Florida and worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Tampa for 27 years. After retiring in 1999, he and his wife, Kathy Blair, sold their home, bought a truck and travel trailer, and spent five years exploring the country as full-time RV'ers before settling near Buffalo, New York.

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Fred began writing about his life and military service. He discovered that telling the truth about his experiences brought both spiritual renewal and emotional release. His articles have appeared in Over Coffee, The Tampa Tribune, Nostalgia Magazine, and The Buffalo News.

His memoir, "Walking Wounded: Memoir of a Combat Veteran," provides an unfiltered look at the life-changing realities of war: leading Marines into combat as a rifle platoon commander, calling in close air support as an aerial observer, notifying families as a casualty assistance officer, and living with the long-term effects of those experiences.

Fred is also the author of West Tampa Stories, Volumes 1 and 2, collections of family history and stories about growing up in Tampa’s close-knit Spanish and Italian community during the 1950s and 1960s.

After two long marriages ended, Fred found himself living alone in a Florida retirement community, playing shuffleboard and poker. There he met Debbie Huff. They married on December 8, 2024, and now live in Zephyrhills, Florida.

Their story is told in "ALL IN! A Poker Love Story!," a celebration of finding companionship, laughter, and love later in life.

Fred often says, “God saved the best chapter of my life for last.”

Fred and Debbie later co-wrote "Have Fun Playing Cards! Even Poker!," a lighthearted guide to enjoying card games, making friends, and remembering that the real purpose of playing—even when money is involved—is to have fun.