Thomas Peter Mancino

Brigadier General Thomas Peter Mancino was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on 2 October 1945. He is a graduate of the Oklahoma Military Academy, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University, and U.S. Army War College. He enlisted in the Army in 1966, was commissioned in 1968, and served for 39 years with the Oklahoma National Guard. He commanded the activated 45th Infantry Brigade in Afghanistan, becoming the first Army National Guard general officer to command National Guard troops in a combat zone since the Korean War.

BG Mancino’s many military awards and decorations include the Combat Action Badge, Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, and the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. He is an honoree in the Oklahoma Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. BG Mancino retired in 2004 to pursue serving and honoring veterans of Broken Arrow, OK. Among his many civic contributions, Mancino is the leader of the Oklahoma Military History Center (OKMHC) located in Broken Arrow, whose mission is “Promoting Patriotism Through the Preservation of Military History.” 

The OKMHC originated with the private collection of retired Air Force Colonel Robert W. Powell, a WWII glider pilot. The collection was housed in various locations until 2012 when the City of Broken Arrow offered a permanent home for the collection. City government and volunteers are committed to displaying the original collection with respect and honor. Under BG Mancino’s leadership, imagination, and organization, the OKMHC has expanded significantly to include a wide array of interesting and priceless exhibits. In addition to offering personally guided tours, the OKMHC also has offices where accredited representatives assist veterans with obtaining their veteran benefits.

The OKMHC is the center of all military and veterans’ activities in the Broken Arrow region and is now a new and vibrant chapter under the auspices of the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation. BG Mancino resides in Broken Arrow.