Thomas Frank Sweeney was the son of Michael D. Sweeney

Sweeney was the Sergeant Major of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. He was killed in action on Corregidor on 05/06/42.

As the Marines fought and fell back to other fighting positions, the Japanese took over the Denver Battery site and proceeded to lay down withering machine-gun fire. Sweeney and his very good friend Quarter Master Sergeant John Haskins assaulted the short water tower with a handful of grenades and killed the Japanese machine-gun crew on top of that tower from grenades and hand-to-hand fighting. The two men took over the tower and began hurling grenades at Japanese fighting positions and snipers until they ran our of grenades. Haskins left the tower to obtain more grenades and upon his return he was scaling the ladder on the water tower when he was killed by the Japanese. Sweeney was still atop the tower but may have been dead by this time. Three days after the surrender of Allied forces at Corregidor, the men and women captured at the Malinta Tunnel were all marched south to the 92nd Garage. As they passed the short water tower, the body of a Marine was seen hanging over the edge of the tower. His fingers were black and putrid from hanging there the past three days and due to exposure to the sun. Several Marines verified Sweeney and Haskins were the two Marines fighting from atop the short tower and is assumed since Haskins' body was recovered, the body left hanging over the side of the tower was Sweeney's. Due to their friendship, it was fitting that Sweeney and Haskins would fight their last battle together and die as Marine comrades in arms.

4th Marines Sergeant Major Charles R. Jackson, who survived the ordeal of being a Prisoner of War of the Japanese Empire, wrote about Sergeant Major Sweeney's death in his book, "I Am Alive". He doesn't mention Sweeney by name but it is undoubtedly Sweeney he is referring to as follows:
"Some lay behind rocks, some behind a fold in the ground, some lay sprawled in the open, and some, like horrid over-ripe fallen fruit, lay beneath straggling trees whose leaves had dried to a gray green in that pitiless sun…". Sgt. Haskins' body was recovered and he is buried in the Vallonia Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana. But Sweeney's body was not recovered. It is believed his remains was buried by the Japanese. To this day, this American hero is lost and his grave location is now known only to God. "
Jackson went on to say, "We passed the battered water tower where Supply Sergeant Haskell [sic] of our regiment had died in the darkness, throwing grenades at the foe beneath him. There was still a body there lying on its face, with the arms hanging down along the walls. The clutching fingers were outlined blackish-green against the alabaster white of the walls. We wondered who the dead man was. We could not see his face because it was turned away from us at a crazy angle."

The Sergeant Major was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously, for the actions that resulted in his death. His citation reads as follows:
CITATION
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant Major Thomas Frank Sweeney (MCSN: 208378), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company A, First Battalion, Fourth Marines in action against enemy Japanese forces at Corregidor, in the Philippine Islands, on the night of 5 May 1942. Correctly gauging the threat to our forces when the invading enemy established a machine gun on top of a water tower on the eastern part of the island fortress, Sergeant Major Sweeney resolutely determined to silence the savagely firing weapon. Quick to act, he fearlessly made his way to the base of the tower under cover of darkness and, boldly exposing himself to the slashing fury of enemy rifle fire, rapidly scaled the face of the structure and succeeded in reaching the top, despite the sudden intensity of hostile shellfire which assailed him on all sides. Taking the gun crew by surprise, he dropped a live grenade among the occupying Japanese, then dived head-first into the group of enemy soldiers remaining alive after the grenade explosion, thereby frustrating their attempts to fire. Fiercely engaging in hand-to-hand combat, he killed the fanatically fighting Japanese one by one before he himself fell, mortally wounded. Unable to leave the tower, he succumbed shortly after the heroic fulfillment of his voluntary mission. Stouthearted and indomitable, Sergeant Major Sweeney, by his dauntless initiative, aggressive fighting spirit and self-sacrificing devotion to duty in the face of tremendous odds, had single-handedly annihilated an extremely effective, strategically placed Japanese installation and his outstanding valor and cool decision in a critical situation reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Wife - Lois Mancel

Entered the Service from: Illinois
Died 6 May 42
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery

Sergeant Major Thomas Frank Sweeney, Sn# 208378, earned the following awards/decorations for his service in the United states Marine Corps prior too and during the first 6 months of World war II as follows (not all inclusive or in precedence order):
- Silver Star Medal(Posthumous)
- Purple Heart Medal (Posthumous)
- Combat Action Ribbon (Posthumous)
- Prisoner of War Medal (though he was actually dead when the American's surrendered)
- China Service Medal
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with two bronze service stars
- American Defense Service Medal with Base clasp
- World War II Victory Medal (Posthumous)
- Army Presidential Unit Citation with two bronze Oak Leafs