US Marine Corps General. An aviator, he saw service in three wars. A South Georgia native, he graduated from Boys' High School of Atlanta in 1934, received a degree from Georgia Tech in 1939, and that same year was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Thrash received his Naval Aviator's wings in 1942 and was to fly over 100 combat support missions in the Pacific; after the war he had various peacetime duty assignments both stateside and overseas, then flew combat missions in the Korean War. Shot down in December of 1951, he was held Prisoner-of-War until September 1953. Assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps upon his return, he was to graduate from the National War College in 1959 and after duty in Hawaii, Thailand, Japan, and Norfolk, Virginia, was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned to the staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps in March of 1964. In 1969 General Thrash reported to Viet Nam as Commanding General, First Marine Aircraft Wing then in 1970 received his final posting as Commanding General, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia. He received his third star as Lieutenant General in 1972 and following his 1972 retirement was a building contractor in Newport Beach, California. He retired to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in 1993 where he died of age related complications. The General's decoration's include three Legions of Merit, two Distinguished Service Medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart.
US Marine Corps General. An aviator, he saw service in three wars. A South Georgia native, he graduated from Boys' High School of Atlanta in 1934, received a degree from Georgia Tech in 1939, and that same year was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Thrash received his Naval Aviator's wings in 1942 and was to fly over 100 combat support missions in the Pacific; after the war he had various peacetime duty assignments both stateside and overseas, then flew combat missions in the Korean War. Shot down in December of 1951, he was held Prisoner-of-War until September 1953. Assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps upon his return, he was to graduate from the National War College in 1959 and after duty in Hawaii, Thailand, Japan, and Norfolk, Virginia, was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned to the staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps in March of 1964. In 1969 General Thrash reported to Viet Nam as Commanding General, First Marine Aircraft Wing then in 1970 received his final posting as Commanding General, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia. He received his third star as Lieutenant General in 1972 and following his 1972 retirement was a building contractor in Newport Beach, California. He retired to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in 1993 where he died of age related complications. The General's decoration's include three Legions of Merit, two Distinguished Service Medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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