Gerald W. Thomas

Gerald Waylett Thomas (July 3, 1919 – July 31, 2013) was President Emeritus of New Mexico State University, a veteran of World War II, and an author.

Biography

Early life Gerald W. Thomas was born at home on the Daniel Thomas ranch on Medicine Lodge Creek, Small, Idaho on July 3, 1919. His parents were Daniel Waylett Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Evans. Thomas was the second oldest of six sons.

Education Thomas attended the local Medicine Lodge school through the 11th grade, the last grade the school offered. He moved to Pasadena, California, and finished high school at John Muir High School. He attended Pasadena Junior College for two years and then obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry in February, 1941, from the University of Idaho, at Moscow, Idaho.

Military service On February 5, 1942, Thomas volunteered for the Navy. He passed his "B-check" in a N3N "Yellow Peril" at the “Elimination Base” at Los Alamitos, California, on July 2, 1942. Assigned to Naval Aviation School, Corpus Christi, Texas, he graduated with an Ensign Commission on November 27, 1942. He then received six weeks of dive-bomber training at Naval Air Station Miami in Opa-locka, Florida.

In January, 1943, Thomas was assigned to Torpedo Squadron Four (VT-4) attached to the . VT-4 was a 9-plane Grumman TBF Avenger unit with 12 pilots and 2 non-flying officers. It was a part of Air Group 4 along with a 16-plane fighter squadron (VF-4) and a 16-plane dive bomber squadron (VB-4).

Thomas' first combat action was Operation Leader, That landing was his 13th official carrier landing.

On June 26, 1944, Air Group 4 was ordered off the Ranger and to the West Coast of the United States for an assignment in the Pacific. After some time on the West Coast and some time training in Hawaii, Air Group 4 was ordered aboard the on November 4, 1944. On the Bunker Hill, Thomas participated in strikes against Ormoc Bay, Manila Bay, and Cavite in the Philippines. During this combat period, Air Group 4 lost seven pilots and four crewmen.

While on the Essex, just after Thomas had returned from a strike on Santa Cruz, the ship was hit by a Kamikaze flying a Yokosuka D4Y dive bomber. The Kamikaze attack killed 16 crewmen and wounded 44.

Death Thomas died on July 31, 2013, at age 94.