Ralph Wallace Thomas
US Navy Reserve | Service Number 624 47 41
January 7, 1925
in Birmingham, AL
Roy Merritt Thomas (d. 1938)
Willie Mae (Bowman) Thomas (d. 1931)
Details unknown
Details unknown
March 9, 1942
in Houston, TX
Joined 3/6/1943 from Headquarters, Marine Corps Base New River
Left (wounded) 3/9/1945 to hospital
12/29/1970
Died
307 East Lamar Street, San Antonio, Texas – home of aunt, Lupah Albina Thomas
Prior to enlisting, Ralph lived at Buckner’s Orphans Home in Dallas, Texas
Campaigns
Outfit: USS John Penn (APA 23)
Rank: Hospital Apprentice, Second Class
Outfit: Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines
Rank: Pharmacist’s Mate, Third Class
MOS: Corpsman
Outfit: Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines
Rank: Pharmacist’s Mate, Third Class
MOS: Corpsman
Outfit: Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines
Rank: Pharmacist’s Mate, Third Class
MOS: Corpsman
Outfit: Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines
Rank: Pharmacist’s Mate, Third Class
MOS: Corpsman
Important Events:
March 9, 1945 – wounded in action (grenade shrapnel, both feet); evacuated
Ralph Thomas served in the US Navy in the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. He was on active duty as a Hospitalman First Class when he died in Billings, Montana, in 1970.
Decorations
Service Stories
“I remember a corpsman who was tending to a wounded friend of mine in a shell hole when a Jap grenade came rolling in. The thought to save himself apparently did not even occur to him, he shoved it into one corner of the hole and covered it with both feet and took the explosion himself…. He had just recently been assigned to the third machine gun platoon and he hardly knew any of us.”
– John C. Pope, Angel On My Shoulder
Pingback: Photo Identification: Corpsmen | First Battalion, 24th Marines
Looking for NOK of Ralph W Thomas, WIA 3/9/45, Iwo Jima
Had brothers: William and Allen Thomas
Need obit, died 12/29/70.