After graduation, Tom went to Goodfellow AFB, for technical training in Signal Intelligence. Following Technical Training, Tom was assigned to the 6912th Security Squadron as a Signal Intelligence Officer from 1968 to 1973. During his tour in Berlin, Tom earned his MA from Wayne State University. In 1973, upon completing his Air Force commitment, Tom embarked on a civilian career in metal fabrication that he is still in today. In 1974, Tom Vail began working for McClintock Metal Fabrication, Inc. in San Jose, CA. In 1977, Tom and Marion Vail became minority owners of McClintock Metal. In 1990, the company moved to Woodland, California, near Sacramento. In 1993, McClintock Metal bought the assets of Cart-Away Concrete Systems. In late 2003, Tom and Marion bought the remainder of McClintock Metal and in July and August of 2004 moved to McMinnville, Oregon and began working as Cart-Away Concrete.

Since 2004, Cart-Away Concrete has concentrated on the manufacture and sale of trailer-based concrete equipment. For over 15 years, Cart-Away (and its predecessor, McClintock Metal) has been the leader in the trailer-based concrete equipment industry. The same team that built the Cart-Away line at McClintock Metal continues to support the best line of trailer-based concrete equipment.

With the company move to McMinnville, Tom and Marion moved to to Amity, Oregon. Purchasing a small home with a beautiful view (north Willamette Valley, Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams). And began to think about what to do with the property. Neither of them had ever lived: 1. In a true rural/agricultural community; 2. In a home without a sidewalk in front; 3. In a place of such beauty that you can wake up in the morning feeling we are in a park; 4. In a place that there is no need to cover every corner with landscaping and knowing that we could not landscape 5 acres. After studying the area they learned that their land was covered with Jory soil, renowned for growing some of Oregon's finest wine grapes, especially Pinot Noir. The thought of planting a vineyard started to take shape.

The vineyard covers just over 1.5 acres of land, if you are curious. On October 14, 2008 we harvested 2,375 lbs of Pinot Noir fruit. 604 pounds of Pinot Gris fruit was harvested on October 19, 2008.

The Pinot Gris will be released over Memorial Day Weekend 2009. The Pinot Noir will remain in barrel until the fall of 2009.
In the Summer of 2006, plans were made to clear the bottom acre of the farm for olives. The planting was done on July 1, 2007. The first very small harvest will most likely be in 2010. The vineyard is open to visitors, click here to go to the Calamity Hill Vineyard and Farm website for more information.

Tom and Marion, are the parents of Jeff (USAFA '99) and Patrick, parents-in-law of Julie and Christine, and proud grandparents of Ella.

You can view all the pictures shown here and more, plus see more information about Tom and Marion's company, and their home by visiting these websites:
www.cart-away.com
www.calamityhill.com

Thanks, Tom and Marion for sharing part of your lives with us.

April 2009