USAF Capt. Thomas "Tom" Stratton is the leapee who appears in the pilot episode of Quantum Leap, "Genesis: Part 1". The part of Capt. Stratton the leapee is played by Layne Beamer.
About Capt. Stratton[]
Sam awakens in the year 1956, suffering from total memory loss. He is confused to discover that his name is "Tom" and that he has a pregnant wife named Peg and son named Mikey. He is further shocked by his reflection in the mirror which he insists is not him. Sam begins to convince himself that he is dreaming and that, as long as he goes along with the dream, he will soon wake up.
Sam also discovers that his complete identity is Thomas "Tom" Stratton, an Air Force test pilot, and that his best friend is Captain "Bird Dog" Birdell, a cocky, womanizing pilot. Birdell pulls over the side of the road to chat to an attractive young woman and brags about how he and Sam are the only pilots "brave enough to fly the X-2". Sam tells Birdell he cannot fly but Birdell thinks he is playing a gag and decides to go along with it. When they reach the Air Force base, Birdell and the other pilots pretend that flying has affected their memory, convincing staff Doctors Ernst and Berger to conduct a research project studying the matter.
Original History[]
Captain Tom Stratton was killed in a crash of his X-2 test flight. Due to the shock of his crash, Peggy ended up going into premature labor and their second child did not survive.
Post-Leap History[]
With Sam's leap, Tom survived the X-2 mishap and Sam was able to give the medical staff information to keep Tom's wife from the premature labor. Both he and his daughter survived. Thomas and Peggy Stratton's second child was named Samantha Peggy Stratton (played by Jennifer Runyon) weighing at 7 pounds, 8 ounces.