Thomas R. Fasulo was an entomologist at a major United States university for over 33 years, retiring in 2012. Instead of having a commodity or crop responsibility, his job description basically read "to develop computer software in support of entomology." As such, he was one of the few people in the world whose job actually required him to develop buggy software. Most of the others work for Microsoft. As an entomologist, Fasulo was the author of scores of insect-related software and Web sites used in many industries (including education). He also authored or co-authored numerous printed publications, including the section "Insects and History" in the four-volume Encyclopedia of Entomology.
However, Fasulo's real passions are reading and history. He has interests in many different historical periods, especially the American Civil War, World War II and the British Raj. His other reading interests include histories of insect-vectored diseases and how those diseases affected history, historical mysteries, science fiction, western Americana, anthropology... well, the list goes on. However, his all-time favorite book is Kim.
Before he got too old to run around battlefields, Fasulo portrayed Union and Confederate infantry privates at Civil War reenactment and living history events. He also portrayed 1st Lt. Oliver Willcox Norton, who served as a line officer and acting quartermaster in the 8th U.S.C.T. from 1863-1865. When Norton was a private and bugler in the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry from 1861-1863, he was the first person in American history to blow the famous Taps bugle call. Unfortunately, Fasulo is musically inept and cannot play any instrument, not even spoons. Perhaps that is why one of his heroes is Ulysses S. Grant, who is supposed to have said, "I know only two songs. One is Yankee Doodle. The other isn't."
If you get the idea Fasulo has an interest in military subjects, you are right. But he got it honestly. He served 12 years as an officer in the United State Marine Corps (four years on active duty, eight years in the Reserves). He refuses to reenact the Viet Nam War, as he did it for real.
Fasulo is a life member of Florida's Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park Citizens Support Organization (CSO), and is Webmaster of its Battle of Olustee Web site. This Web site is listed in two versions of the book The Civil War on the Web: A Guide to the Very Best Sites as one of the 95 top Civil War sites on the WWW. Fasulo also contributed to the national Civil War press. One of his articles, "Yanks, Rebs & Bees: How to be Safe in the Field," a discussion of Africanized honey bees and reenacting, was featured on the front page of the Civil War News. He has appeared in and/or provided historical background for numerous newspaper and magazine articles, TV and video documentaries, and is often credited as "historical consultant."
Another Florida state park Fasulo is very active at is Dudley Farm, a National Historic Landmark. He is also a life member of its Friends of Dudley Farm CSO. There he assists with farm chores, living history and visitor interpretation (field hand, storekeeper and farm owner), and pulls or sprays invasive weeds, concentrating on coral ardisia, winged-yam, kudzu and camphor trees.
In addition, before his retirement, Fasulo supported the Florida Humanities Council by writing Civil War articles for its publications, appearing in videos about that conflict and leading battlefield tours for its teacher seminars.
 | This user drinks Single malt whisky. Ahh...malt. |  |
...But can't pronounce the brand names.
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External links edit
- Battle of Olustee Web site
- The Civil War on the Web the book