Waterloo Daily Courier (Iowa), Sunday, April 22, 1945 (excerpts)Three Added to Waterloo List of DeadNames of three more men were added to the list of Waterloo's war dead by war department messages to relatives here Saturday.Killed on Luzon were:Pfc. Donald M. Thomas, 34.Private Thomas, formerly of 2583 East Fourth street was killed in action Mar. 29 on Luzon, a war department message to his wife, Mrs. Helen Thomas, revealed.A machine gunner in the 32nd infantry division, he was wounded twice before he was killed. He entered army service Aug. 19, 1943, took his basic training at Camp Adair, Ore., and went overseas last May.He was wounded slightly Mar. 19, 1944, when a fragment of a Jap. hand grenade struck his leg. He was seriously wounded last Dec. 2 in the battle of Leyte when he was shot through the neck by a Jap sniper.He received the Order of the Purple Heart and Oak Leaf Cluster, and also was awarded the expert infantryman's badge.Donald M. Thomas was born in Sexton, Ia., July 14, 1910, but came to Waterloo as a child. He was graduated from East high school in 1931 and from Gates Business college in 1932.He was employed by the Rath Packing Co. before entering service.He was married to the former Helen Avelchas on Sept. 2, 1934, in Chicago.Survivors include his wife and one sister, Mrs. Henry Begby, 714 Newton street; two brothers, Virgil Thomas, 420 Reed street, and Gerald Thomas, 517 Reed street; and a brother-in-law, T-5 Nick W. Avelchas, serving in Belgium. His parents preceded him in death.
Waterloo Daily Courier (Iowa), Sunday, April 22, 1945 (excerpts)Three Added to Waterloo List of DeadNames of three more men were added to the list of Waterloo's war dead by war department messages to relatives here Saturday.Killed on Luzon were:Pfc. Donald M. Thomas, 34.Private Thomas, formerly of 2583 East Fourth street was killed in action Mar. 29 on Luzon, a war department message to his wife, Mrs. Helen Thomas, revealed.A machine gunner in the 32nd infantry division, he was wounded twice before he was killed. He entered army service Aug. 19, 1943, took his basic training at Camp Adair, Ore., and went overseas last May.He was wounded slightly Mar. 19, 1944, when a fragment of a Jap. hand grenade struck his leg. He was seriously wounded last Dec. 2 in the battle of Leyte when he was shot through the neck by a Jap sniper.He received the Order of the Purple Heart and Oak Leaf Cluster, and also was awarded the expert infantryman's badge.Donald M. Thomas was born in Sexton, Ia., July 14, 1910, but came to Waterloo as a child. He was graduated from East high school in 1931 and from Gates Business college in 1932.He was employed by the Rath Packing Co. before entering service.He was married to the former Helen Avelchas on Sept. 2, 1934, in Chicago.Survivors include his wife and one sister, Mrs. Henry Begby, 714 Newton street; two brothers, Virgil Thomas, 420 Reed street, and Gerald Thomas, 517 Reed street; and a brother-in-law, T-5 Nick W. Avelchas, serving in Belgium. His parents preceded him in death.
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Entered the service from Iowa.
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