The Marlborough
Historical Society

     Thomas was born the 6^th of February, 1924 in Melrose, Massachusetts.  He was educated in Stoneham schools before moving to the Hillside school in Marlborough, Massachusetts the 16^th of August 1938.  While attending the school he learned much about farming and agriculture and found a love for working in both fields.  He graduated from the Hillside school the 21^st of June, 1940.  He next worked for the Walker Spring Beverage Company in Stoneham until taking over the routes for a coal delivery business.  While working on a farm in Holliston, Massachusetts, he enlisted into the United States Marine Corps the 21^st of April, 1943.  He received his basic training at Recruit Depot Parris Island in the Carolinas and was assigned to the Amphibious base in New River, North Carolina.  He was next sent to Alpha Company, 1^st Armored Amphibian Battalion in Oceanside, California where he received training as a mechanic on the new armored tractor vehicles used for amphibious landings.

     On the 14^th of October, 1943 he was assigned to the Buffalo Maintenance Unit of Company A, 2^nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion of the 2^nd Marine Division.  Thomas and his unit departed San Diego the same day aboard the USS CARTER HALL headed for Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.  Arriving the 4^th of November, 1943, the unit along with the rest of the 2^nd Marine Division departed the next day for Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.  The landings began on the 20^th of November, 1943 at 0900, Thomas was killed in action at some point during the initial invasion.  He was originally buried in the Division Cemetery on the island before his remains were repatriated to the United States in 1949.  He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at section A grave number 66.  A square in Holliston is named in his honor.

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