At left: Colonel Lou on the courts
Colonel Lou and Mrs. Lois Tronzo at Clark Air Base in the Philippines (1988).
Dennis Whitley
If you ask Lou Tronzo what he did during his 30-year military career in the Air Force, the quick answer is, “I was a fighter pilot.” With more than 100 combat missions over Vietnam, that is certainly a true statement. If you inquire a little further, what you’ll find is a high level and a decorated career.
After graduating from Penn State as a member of the ROTC with an economics degree, Lou went to Selma, AL for his pilot training. From there his career took him around the globe, which included Labrador, Canada; Austin, TX; Thailand; Alaska; Germany; Oklahoma; Tucson; Philippines; Oregon; and Phoenix. (He was stationed at Luke Air Force Base.) Among these assignments, Lou was the Squadron Commander in Elmendorf, AK; Tinker, OK; Tucson; and was the ROTC commander at the University of Oregon. If that doesn’t impress you, Lou was later the deputy commander of worldwide AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) Operations.
For his extraordinary service, the Air Force awarded Lou the Legion of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses (combat), 12 Air Medals (combat), and a Bronze Star.
As the saying goes, behind every great man is a great woman, and that is the case here. Lou met Lois in a high school English class, and they have been together ever since. After breaking his right arm playing baseball, Lou was introduced to tennis by Lois. Giving it some thought, Lou decided to learn how to play with his left hand in order to play tennis with his girlfriend. If you are counting, this is the second PebbleCreek Tennis Club member to have done this!
Over Lou’s 30 years in the Air Force, he and Lois moved 23 times. They did this while raising their children Doug (Scottsdale), Marc (Houston), and Kathy (Connecticut). They have seven grandchildren and are extremely proud of what their children and grandchildren have accomplished.
In 2008, Lou and Lois decided to move from Pennsylvania, and they recalled their time at Luke and the Arizona weather, so they purchased a home at PebbleCreek. PebbleCreek offered them the location they were looking for and the amenities, like tennis, that they enjoy.
As we honor our veterans this month, the PebbleCreek Tennis Club would like to acknowledge and thank all of our veterans and salute Colonel Lou Tronzo for his exemplary 30 years of service to our country. God bless America!