Thomas enlisted in the USN on Dec 8, 1942 in Denver. He may have been only 16 years old and falsified his birth record. This was not uncommon. If he was 17 years old he would have required the permission of his mother to enlist.
He was received Dec 12th at the Naval Training Center, Farragut, ID, as a AS (Apprentice Seaman). He was advanced to S2c (Seaman 2nd class) on Feb 27, 1943. After basic training he was received Mar 17, 1943 at the Puget Sound Naval Yard, Bremerton, WA.
He was transferred on Mar 24th to San Francisco where he arrived two days later. On April 2nd, Thomas was forwarded to Mare Island, CA, to his first duty assignment. The heavy cruiser loomed large among the ships at dock and he walked the gangway to board USS Indianapolis CA-35 that same day.
Indianapolis was serving in the Pacific before her return to Mare Island, about three weeks before Thomas went aboard. When she docked on March 16th, many enlisted men were transferred off and new crewmembers began arriving. Thomas would have a lot to learn and there were not as many "old salts" on board he could turn to for help. But, there was time. Indy was in dry dock until April 27, 1943.
She steamed from Mare Island and conducted training drills off the coast of San Francisco and San Diego from May 5-13th to ready her new crewmembers for service. After refueling in San Francisco, she steamed on May 15th for Adak Island, Alaska, in the Aleutians. Thomas would have an experience he could not have imagined.
Indy arrived at Adak on May 23rd and anchored in Kulak Bay. The weather in the Pacific and Bering Sea was dreadfully cold and unforgiving. The seas rolled with torrents of rain, high winds, sleet and snow. Sudden strong storms presented a constant threat to the ship and her crew.
On May 25, 1943 Indianapolis of TG 16.5.16 joined up with TG 16.6, Southern Covering Group (SCG) Operating off Attu. She remained with the TG until the afternoon of the 27th when she joined TG 16.12 in the Northern Covering Area off Attu. She continued service until June 3rd when organized resistance of Attu had been eliminated. She was released from the TG the next day and was ordered to TG 16.12 and continued patrolling the Northern Area until June 29th when she returned to Kuluk Bay. Indy was awarded a battle star for her service in the operation.
After Attu was proclaimed secure, the US forces focused their attention on Kiska, the last enemy stronghold in the Aleutians. On Aug 2, 1943, Indianapolis joined the other small ships of a task force and trained her 8-inch guns, destroying shore-based Japanese hideouts and other facilities on Little Kiska Island.
As part of TG 16.6.2, on Aug 12th, Indy launched her four planes to serve as spotters shortly before she trained her main battery on Gertrude Cove, Kiska Island. She then trained her 5" battery at Bukti Point on Kiska. This was a lucky day for Thomas as there was no return fire and all planes were recovered safely. Indy remained on patrol and in a supportive roll in the Aleutians.
On Aug 25, 1943, Indy departed for San Francisco for overhaul and refitting. Basically, Thomas' feet had not been on land for four months, but he had earned his first battle star. There would be no time for leave or much time ashore. Indy sailed for Pearl Harbor on Sept 7th. She would remain there and conduct training exercises until early November.
From Sept 17-19, Indy conducted training exercises off Pearl Harbor before returning on the 20th. The following day, Thomas, along with many shipmates, was transferred for "Detached Duty" from Indy to the Anti-aircraft Training Center at Waianae, Oahu, T.H. He returned to the ship on Oct 2, 1943 from "Temp. Duty". Training was not normally recorded as detached or temporary duty, so it is not known what service he performed at the training center.
On Nov 5, 1943, Thomas would have his first experience on board a flag ship when Vice Admiral, later Admiral, Raymond A. Spruance came aboard Indianapolis as Commander of the Central Pacific Force.
Indianapolis departed Pearl Harbor on Nov 10, 1943 steaming to the Gilbert Islands for "Operation Galvanic" against Tarawa and Makin Islands. On 19 Nov 1943, Indy, in a force of cruisers, bombarded Tarawa and next day pounded Makin. The ship then returned to Tarawa and acted as a fire-support ship for the landings. That day her guns splashed an enemy plane and shelled enemy strong points as valiant landing parties struggled against fanatical Japanese defenders in an extremely bloody and costly battle. She continued this role until the leveled island was declared secure 3 days later. [DANFS]
Indianapolis returned briefly to Pearl Harbor on Dec 11, 1943. 366 enlisted men and 52 officers disembarked to remain at Pearl until Indy's return from CA. Thomas was one of the lucky men who were assigned to the Commander at Pearl Harbor for temporary duty. He would spend Christmas and New Year's Day under the warm sun and blue skies of Hawaii.
Indy departed Mare Island on New Year's Day for San Francisco. She stayed only long enough to embark officers and passengers for transport to Pearl Harbor where she arrived on Jan 7th. Thomas and his shipmates who had remained at Pearl came back aboard as the ship prepared to return to the war action.
She departed the harbor bound for the Marshall Islands to aid in the actions against Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls in late January. Indy's service ended in the Marshalls after supporting the occupation at Eniwetok.
Steaming to the Western Carolinas, Indy took part in the raids on Palau, Yap, Ulithi and Woleai. On April 10th she left Majuro for Pearl Harbor and on April 22nd she arrived back in San Francisco, CA. Thomas was not likely granted furlough because Indy would be in port only eight days before steaming back to Pearl Harbor on May 1st.
When Indy returned to the Pacific in early June, the Central Pacific Force in which she formerly served was now designated the Pacific 5th Fleet and continued under the command of now Admiral Spruance, on board Indianapolis.
This would be a period of brutal service for Thomas. From June to Sept 29, 1944, Indy took part in the capture and occupation of Saipan, Battle of the Philippine Sea, the capture and occupation of Guam, the capture and occupation of Tinian in the Northern Marianas Islands and on to the Western Caroline Islands operation for the capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands. In the midst of the chaos of war, Thomas was advanced to S1c on Aug 1, 1944.
Thomas arrived back at Mare Island, CA on Oct 19, 1944 where Indy underwent overhaul and a major refitting following her long Pacific service. In addition, new paint would be applied to the inside and the proud ship would be given a facelift - new camouflage. Her measure 32/7D pattern dazzle camouflage, applied six months earlier, was replaced with measure 22, modified. For the work to be completed, the crew was removed from the ship. Most enlisted men moved to the barracks at the Navy Yard. Many were sent for additional training or service school during this time Thomas was one of the lucky ones to be granted furlough during this time.
He returned home to Denver, CO, and on Nov 1st he married Grace Louise Malam, daughter of Mrs and Mrs John Malan of Denver, formerly of Albany, MO. Grace was a senior at West high school at the time of the marriage and planned to finish school. Time with his new bride was brief. Thomas said goodbye to Grace on Nov 8th to return to Mare Island. When he arrived he found there was a change to the ship. On Nov 11, 1944, Captain Charles Butler McVay, III, assumed command of Indianapolis.
Back in port with more free time on his hands and the excitement of the approaching holidays, Thomas made an error in judgement. He faced deck court on Dec 18th and his punishment was confinement for 20 days and a loss of $22 per month for two months. Three other crewmembers faced the same punishment around the same time. Unfortunately, his mistake meant Christmas and New Year's would be spent confined on board or in the naval yard. No record was found of Thomas' specific offense and he was not listed as AWOL. Deck court was held for minor offenses. He could be thankful that he was not demoted in rate as was many times included in the punishment.
With repairs and new paint completed, Indy conducted numerous short trials between Mare Island, San Francisco and San Diego. She departed Mare Island on Jan 3, 1945 for San Francisco, then San Diego and forward to Pearl Harbor. On Jan 20th, Adm. Spruance came back aboard.
Thomas arrived with his ship on Feb 1, 1945 at Ulithi Atoll, two weeks before she made her first attack on Tokyo on Feb 15th. Throughout the action, Indianapolis played her vital role of support ship. She sailed on to Iwo Jima where action began on the 19th. Indy did her share of the bombardment of the island where Japanese soldiers hid in and attacked US forces from subterranean tunnels. She moved back to Tokyo to Honshu and Nansei Shoto for more bombardment of the islands and remained until the operation ended on Mar 1st.
The pre-invasion bombardment of Okinawa began Mar 24th and for 7 days Indianapolis bombarded beach defenses. Enemy aircraft filled the sky attacking the ships. Indy shot down six planes and assisted in splashing two others. This was an experience and event that Thomas would long remember and relive with his family.
On 31 March, the day before the invasion, the ship was hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane. Nine men were killed and 20 injured. There is no record that Thomas was injured. Indy limped back to Mare Island, CA, for repairs and refitting where she would remain for two-and-a-half months. Most assuredly, Thomas was granted leave to visit his family and his young bride.
Since boarding, Thomas had earned the Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with 1 silver star, representing 5 bronze stars, and 4 bronze stars to represent the 9 battle stars awarded to Indianapolis. He was not yet twenty years old.
At Mare Island, Thomas and his shipmates prepared for a top-secret delivery to the island of Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands. No one on board knew the contents of their cargo when they departed on July 16, 1945.
After the delivery, Indianapolis departed Tinian and after a short stop at Apra Habor, Guam, she sailed for Leyte, her final destination. Half-way there, on July 30, 1945, Indy was struck by two torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-58 and sank in 12 minutes. Whether Thomas made it off the ship and into the water is not known.
His wife of eight months, Grace Louise, was left to mourn his death.
Thomas was awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously. His name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines.
You are not forgotten, Thomas.
Source CreditsState of CO., Div of Vital Statistics, Marriage Record Report, #8921; citing marriage of Beverly Wilson and Dorothy Floyd.
1940 US Census, CO., Denver Co., Denver. HH #924; citing family of Dorothy Wilson
USN WWII Muster Rolls, 1938-1949; Ancestry database
USN Ships, Stations and Other Naval Activities, 1939-1949; Ancestry database
USN USS Indianapolis CA-35 Final Sailing List, 17 Aug 1945; Ancestry database
Navy Department, Casualty Section, Office of Public Information (1946): Combat Connected Naval Casualties, WWII, by States; Vol. AL-MO; CO, p. 11; citing mother Mrs. Dorothy Frances Wilson, Denver, CO.
Snyder & Short, US Navy Ship Camouflage Database. Online:
https://www.shipcamouflage.com/usn_ca.htm.
ABBOTT, George Stanley 
FRONTINO, Vincent Fred 
AMICK, Homer Irwin