Harry Floyd Thomas was born August 22, 1918, the only child of Ida ‘Schwab’ and Floyd David Thomas in Erie, Pennsylvania. Harry graduated from Erie Technical High School in 1936. According to the 1940 Census taken 2 April and Harry’s Selective Service Registration 16 October 1940 he was employed by the Hammer Mill Paper Company in Erie, Pennsylvania and was residing in his parent’s house.
On May 1, 1942 Harry enlisted in the Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces entering service at Erie, Pennsylvania, Army Serial Number 13060801. After basic training and aptitude evaluation Harry was selected for Aviation Cadet pilot training at Waco Army Air Field, Texas, Class 43-H; however it seems he washed out for unknown reasons. Harry was then assigned to flexible gunnery training elsewhere, graduating as an Aerial Gunner MOS 611.
After combat crew training Sgt Thomas was assigned to the Joseph Gualano crew serving with the 860th Squadron, 493rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force and deployed to England. After arrival the Group was stationed at RAF Debach, USAAF Station 152, located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.
On November 2, 1944 the 493rd Bomb Group mission for the day was the Leuna synthetic oil refinery, at Merseburg, Germany. This was the 31st mission for S/Sgt Thomas here serving as a waist gunner with the Joe Gualano crew aboard B-17G-BO Serial Number 43-38316 named ‘Hank's Bottle’.
As the plane turned onto the bomb run it received severe damage from a flak burst resulting in S/Sgt Thomas being killed instantly from a shrapnel wound to his head. The plane experienced additional damage losing the #2 and #3 engines, and loss of all electrical power, the oxygen system to the rear of the aircraft, radio and inter-communications systems and rudder control. Sgt Butler (T/Sgt Raymond W Butler – Flight Engineer) managed to splice the rudder control cable during their return to friendly territory. By disposing of all guns and dropping the ball turret, Lt Gualano was able to return as far as St. Trond, Belgium, and land at Advanced Landing Ground A-92, recently liberated from the Nazis.
Postwar the Thomas family elected to allow the remains of S/Sgt Thomas to remain interred at Liège, Belgium where his grave and memory are well maintained to this day.
Staff Sgt Thomas Awards and Decorations are as follows but not limited to:
Purple Heart, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
On May 1, 1942 Harry enlisted in the Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces entering service at Erie, Pennsylvania, Army Serial Number 13060801. After basic training and aptitude evaluation Harry was selected for Aviation Cadet pilot training at Waco Army Air Field, Texas, Class 43-H; however it seems he washed out for unknown reasons. Harry was then assigned to flexible gunnery training elsewhere, graduating as an Aerial Gunner MOS 611.
After combat crew training Sgt Thomas was assigned to the Joseph Gualano crew serving with the 860th Squadron, 493rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force and deployed to England. After arrival the Group was stationed at RAF Debach, USAAF Station 152, located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.
On November 2, 1944 the 493rd Bomb Group mission for the day was the Leuna synthetic oil refinery, at Merseburg, Germany. This was the 31st mission for S/Sgt Thomas here serving as a waist gunner with the Joe Gualano crew aboard B-17G-BO Serial Number 43-38316 named ‘Hank's Bottle’.
As the plane turned onto the bomb run it received severe damage from a flak burst resulting in S/Sgt Thomas being killed instantly from a shrapnel wound to his head. The plane experienced additional damage losing the #2 and #3 engines, and loss of all electrical power, the oxygen system to the rear of the aircraft, radio and inter-communications systems and rudder control. Sgt Butler (T/Sgt Raymond W Butler – Flight Engineer) managed to splice the rudder control cable during their return to friendly territory. By disposing of all guns and dropping the ball turret, Lt Gualano was able to return as far as St. Trond, Belgium, and land at Advanced Landing Ground A-92, recently liberated from the Nazis.
Postwar the Thomas family elected to allow the remains of S/Sgt Thomas to remain interred at Liège, Belgium where his grave and memory are well maintained to this day.
Staff Sgt Thomas Awards and Decorations are as follows but not limited to:
Purple Heart, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
Harry Floyd Thomas was born August 22, 1918, the only child of Ida ‘Schwab’ and Floyd David Thomas in Erie, Pennsylvania. Harry graduated from Erie Technical High School in 1936. According to the 1940 Census taken 2 April and Harry’s Selective Service Registration 16 October 1940 he was employed by the Hammer Mill Paper Company in Erie, Pennsylvania and was residing in his parent’s house.
On May 1, 1942 Harry enlisted in the Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces entering service at Erie, Pennsylvania, Army Serial Number 13060801. After basic training and aptitude evaluation Harry was selected for Aviation Cadet pilot training at Waco Army Air Field, Texas, Class 43-H; however it seems he washed out for unknown reasons. Harry was then assigned to flexible gunnery training elsewhere, graduating as an Aerial Gunner MOS 611.
After combat crew training Sgt Thomas was assigned to the Joseph Gualano crew serving with the 860th Squadron, 493rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force and deployed to England. After arrival the Group was stationed at RAF Debach, USAAF Station 152, located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.
On November 2, 1944 the 493rd Bomb Group mission for the day was the Leuna synthetic oil refinery, at Merseburg, Germany. This was the 31st mission for S/Sgt Thomas here serving as a waist gunner with the Joe Gualano crew aboard B-17G-BO Serial Number 43-38316 named ‘Hank's Bottle’.
As the plane turned onto the bomb run it received severe damage from a flak burst resulting in S/Sgt Thomas being killed instantly from a shrapnel wound to his head. The plane experienced additional damage losing the #2 and #3 engines, and loss of all electrical power, the oxygen system to the rear of the aircraft, radio and inter-communications systems and rudder control. Sgt Butler (T/Sgt Raymond W Butler – Flight Engineer) managed to splice the rudder control cable during their return to friendly territory. By disposing of all guns and dropping the ball turret, Lt Gualano was able to return as far as St. Trond, Belgium, and land at Advanced Landing Ground A-92, recently liberated from the Nazis.
Postwar the Thomas family elected to allow the remains of S/Sgt Thomas to remain interred at Liège, Belgium where his grave and memory are well maintained to this day.
Staff Sgt Thomas Awards and Decorations are as follows but not limited to:
Purple Heart, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
On May 1, 1942 Harry enlisted in the Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces entering service at Erie, Pennsylvania, Army Serial Number 13060801. After basic training and aptitude evaluation Harry was selected for Aviation Cadet pilot training at Waco Army Air Field, Texas, Class 43-H; however it seems he washed out for unknown reasons. Harry was then assigned to flexible gunnery training elsewhere, graduating as an Aerial Gunner MOS 611.
After combat crew training Sgt Thomas was assigned to the Joseph Gualano crew serving with the 860th Squadron, 493rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force and deployed to England. After arrival the Group was stationed at RAF Debach, USAAF Station 152, located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.
On November 2, 1944 the 493rd Bomb Group mission for the day was the Leuna synthetic oil refinery, at Merseburg, Germany. This was the 31st mission for S/Sgt Thomas here serving as a waist gunner with the Joe Gualano crew aboard B-17G-BO Serial Number 43-38316 named ‘Hank's Bottle’.
As the plane turned onto the bomb run it received severe damage from a flak burst resulting in S/Sgt Thomas being killed instantly from a shrapnel wound to his head. The plane experienced additional damage losing the #2 and #3 engines, and loss of all electrical power, the oxygen system to the rear of the aircraft, radio and inter-communications systems and rudder control. Sgt Butler (T/Sgt Raymond W Butler – Flight Engineer) managed to splice the rudder control cable during their return to friendly territory. By disposing of all guns and dropping the ball turret, Lt Gualano was able to return as far as St. Trond, Belgium, and land at Advanced Landing Ground A-92, recently liberated from the Nazis.
Postwar the Thomas family elected to allow the remains of S/Sgt Thomas to remain interred at Liège, Belgium where his grave and memory are well maintained to this day.
Staff Sgt Thomas Awards and Decorations are as follows but not limited to:
Purple Heart, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
Inscription
HARRY F. THOMAS
S SGT 860 BOMB SQ 493 BOMB GP (H)
PENNSYLVANIA NOV 2 1944
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
