Artis Drexel Thomas, 81, of Monticello, died Sunday, August 28, 2011 at Lawrence County Hospital in Monticello. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at Wilson Funeral Home in Monticello. Burial was in Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery. Wilson Funeral Home of Monticello was in charge of arrangements.

Published by the Lawrence County Press, Monticello, Mississippi, September 1, 2011
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Artis Drexel Thomas, 81, of Monticello, died Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, at Lawrence County Hospital in Monticello. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30, at Wilson Funeral Home in Monticello. Burial will be in Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation was held on Monday at the funeral home.

Mr. Thomas was born in Homerville, Ga., on Sept. 5, 1929. He was a staff sergeant with the United States Marine Corps, during the Korean War. He retired after 22 years as an electrical engineer with St. Regis Paper Company in Monticello.

In 1950, he fought in the Korean War attached to the 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, and 1st Marine Division. "The Old Breed," he worked his way up in rank to become a gunnery sergeant, which is the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps.

Drexel participated in the Incheon Landing, moving inland to recapture Seoul. On Oct. 7, 1950, with North Korean forces in full retreat the Inchon-Seoul campaign was formally declared closed.

Despite intelligence in early November that Chinese Communists forces were massing in force across the Yalu River, 30,000 men consisting of the 1st Marine Division and U.N. forces (nicknamed the "Chosin Few" and the "Frozen Chosin"), were ordered to continue their progress northwest from Hungnam to the Chosin Reservoir. In a carefully planned campaign, eight Chinese divisions consisting of approximately 60,000 troops, charged down from surrounding mountains with the express mission of destroying the allied forces.

During the battle at Chosin, allied forces suffered approximately 2,500 casualties, the Chinese casualties were estimated at 35,000. Because of the Chinese increasing their forces, the 1st Marine Division was ordered to withdraw. Drexel recounted the difficulties of being extracted from Korea. Drexel made radio contact with a merchant ship off the coast of Korea. He was told, "If you men can make it to the shore, we will pick you up."

Gunnery Sgt. Thomas miraculously made it to the shores of Hungnam. Having to swim a mile in the Sea of Japan under freezing temperatures to reach the merchant ship, the ship lowered its cargo nets, holding on for dear life while being scooped from the sea to safety.

The Korean War has been dubbed the "Forgotten War." Gunnery Sgt. Thomas will never be forgotten. He will always be in the hearts and minds of those who loved him. He will always be remembered as a great man who truly understood the meaning of family, duty, honor and country.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Carey Thomas and Vashti Capps Thomas; his wife, Helen Reeves Thomas; his daughter, Jeanme Thomas; his son, Art Thomas; and his brothers, Hilton Thomas and Gilbert Smith.

He is survived by his daughter, Karen Thomas Hart, of Dayton, Tenn.; his son, Travis Thomas, of Silver Creek; and his grandchildren, William Bean and Kaylee Thomas.

Published by Daily Leader