ELMER WAYNE THOMAS, CORPORAL, U.S. ARMY, ODESSA, ECTOR COUNTY, TEXAS
AWARDS AND DECORATONS
Combat Infantryman's Badge, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal
BIOGRAPHY
Elmer Wayne Thomas used his middle name of ‘Wayne." He was born in Odessa, the 6th child of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Thomas. He attended Odessa schools attending Crockett Junior High School and Odessa High. He graduated from Odessa High in 1964. He got married, was the father of a daughter, Susan Carol. He went to work in the oilfield. He was divorced in 1966 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in the summer of 1967.
He reported for basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana in August 1967 and then finished in AIT in infantry, also at Fort Polk. He had a 14 day leave prior to starting his tour in Vietnam. He started his tour on February 6, 1968 and arrived in country during the TET offensive. He was assigned as an infantryman with B Company, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry, 198th Light Infantry Brigade under the operational control of the 23rd Division (Americal).
On May 25, 1968, he and four other troops were on a listening post in the night defensive position NDP) and he was shot to death by a sniper. He had been in Vietnam three months. His parents reported that he had been really interested in the Paris peace talks and spoke of it in many of his letters.
He was buried with full military honors in the Sunset Memorial Garden's Cemetery in Odessa, Texas. He received a posthumous promotion to Corporal. He was survived by his daughter, Susan Carol of Odessa, his parents, his older brothers, Tommy of Ozona, Johnny Ray of Dallas and his two older sisters, Patricia Dale of Riverside, California and Peggy Joe Everett of Odessa. He, also, was survived by his younger brother, Jimmy Lee of Odessa.
His name is on the Wall at Panel 67W Line 005.
AWARDS AND DECORATONS
Combat Infantryman's Badge, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal
BIOGRAPHY
Elmer Wayne Thomas used his middle name of ‘Wayne." He was born in Odessa, the 6th child of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Thomas. He attended Odessa schools attending Crockett Junior High School and Odessa High. He graduated from Odessa High in 1964. He got married, was the father of a daughter, Susan Carol. He went to work in the oilfield. He was divorced in 1966 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in the summer of 1967.
He reported for basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana in August 1967 and then finished in AIT in infantry, also at Fort Polk. He had a 14 day leave prior to starting his tour in Vietnam. He started his tour on February 6, 1968 and arrived in country during the TET offensive. He was assigned as an infantryman with B Company, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry, 198th Light Infantry Brigade under the operational control of the 23rd Division (Americal).
On May 25, 1968, he and four other troops were on a listening post in the night defensive position NDP) and he was shot to death by a sniper. He had been in Vietnam three months. His parents reported that he had been really interested in the Paris peace talks and spoke of it in many of his letters.
He was buried with full military honors in the Sunset Memorial Garden's Cemetery in Odessa, Texas. He received a posthumous promotion to Corporal. He was survived by his daughter, Susan Carol of Odessa, his parents, his older brothers, Tommy of Ozona, Johnny Ray of Dallas and his two older sisters, Patricia Dale of Riverside, California and Peggy Joe Everett of Odessa. He, also, was survived by his younger brother, Jimmy Lee of Odessa.
His name is on the Wall at Panel 67W Line 005.
ELMER WAYNE THOMAS, CORPORAL, U.S. ARMY, ODESSA, ECTOR COUNTY, TEXAS
AWARDS AND DECORATONS
Combat Infantryman's Badge, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal
BIOGRAPHY
Elmer Wayne Thomas used his middle name of ‘Wayne." He was born in Odessa, the 6th child of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Thomas. He attended Odessa schools attending Crockett Junior High School and Odessa High. He graduated from Odessa High in 1964. He got married, was the father of a daughter, Susan Carol. He went to work in the oilfield. He was divorced in 1966 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in the summer of 1967.
He reported for basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana in August 1967 and then finished in AIT in infantry, also at Fort Polk. He had a 14 day leave prior to starting his tour in Vietnam. He started his tour on February 6, 1968 and arrived in country during the TET offensive. He was assigned as an infantryman with B Company, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry, 198th Light Infantry Brigade under the operational control of the 23rd Division (Americal).
On May 25, 1968, he and four other troops were on a listening post in the night defensive position NDP) and he was shot to death by a sniper. He had been in Vietnam three months. His parents reported that he had been really interested in the Paris peace talks and spoke of it in many of his letters.
He was buried with full military honors in the Sunset Memorial Garden's Cemetery in Odessa, Texas. He received a posthumous promotion to Corporal. He was survived by his daughter, Susan Carol of Odessa, his parents, his older brothers, Tommy of Ozona, Johnny Ray of Dallas and his two older sisters, Patricia Dale of Riverside, California and Peggy Joe Everett of Odessa. He, also, was survived by his younger brother, Jimmy Lee of Odessa.
His name is on the Wall at Panel 67W Line 005.
AWARDS AND DECORATONS
Combat Infantryman's Badge, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal
BIOGRAPHY
Elmer Wayne Thomas used his middle name of ‘Wayne." He was born in Odessa, the 6th child of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Thomas. He attended Odessa schools attending Crockett Junior High School and Odessa High. He graduated from Odessa High in 1964. He got married, was the father of a daughter, Susan Carol. He went to work in the oilfield. He was divorced in 1966 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in the summer of 1967.
He reported for basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana in August 1967 and then finished in AIT in infantry, also at Fort Polk. He had a 14 day leave prior to starting his tour in Vietnam. He started his tour on February 6, 1968 and arrived in country during the TET offensive. He was assigned as an infantryman with B Company, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry, 198th Light Infantry Brigade under the operational control of the 23rd Division (Americal).
On May 25, 1968, he and four other troops were on a listening post in the night defensive position NDP) and he was shot to death by a sniper. He had been in Vietnam three months. His parents reported that he had been really interested in the Paris peace talks and spoke of it in many of his letters.
He was buried with full military honors in the Sunset Memorial Garden's Cemetery in Odessa, Texas. He received a posthumous promotion to Corporal. He was survived by his daughter, Susan Carol of Odessa, his parents, his older brothers, Tommy of Ozona, Johnny Ray of Dallas and his two older sisters, Patricia Dale of Riverside, California and Peggy Joe Everett of Odessa. He, also, was survived by his younger brother, Jimmy Lee of Odessa.
His name is on the Wall at Panel 67W Line 005.
Inscription
Texas
CPL CO B 46 INF 198 LT INF BDE
Vietnam
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