Charles L. Thomas

Charles L. Thomas

U.S. Army photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

World War Two Buffalo Soldier and Medal of Honor Recipient

Place of Birth:

Birmingham, Alabama

Date of Birth:

April 17, 1920

Place of Death:

Wayne, Michigan

Date of Death:

February 15, 1980

Place of Burial:

Wayne, Michigan

Cemetery Name:

West Lawn Cemetery

Charles Leroy Thomas was born on April 17, 1920, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Horace and Essie Thomas. Horace Thomas was a veteran of World War I. Shortly after Thomas was born, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan, for better jobs and opportunities. The family was able to buy a home there, part of the growing Black middle-class in the area.

Thomas excelled in school. He had a passion for reading and a great interest in planes and electronics. After graduating from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, he enrolled in the mechanical engineering program at Wayne State University. Shortly after graduating from high school, Thomas started working as a skilled molder at Ford’s Rogue Factory Complex. His father at first helped him get a summer and after-school job there. 

On January 20, 1942, Thomas, then a college junior, was drafted into the U.S. Army. He soon traveled to Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan, for processing. Thomas spent a few days at Fort Custer filling out paperwork and medical examinations before going to Camp Wolters, Texas for basic training and advanced infantry training. He remained at Camp Wolters Infantry Replacement Training Center until July 25, 1942 when he was sent to the 614th Tank Destroyer (TD) Battalion at Camp Carson, Colorado.

The 614th TD Battalion's mission was to seek, strike, and destroy enemy tanks. The tank destroyer vehicles, which had five-man crews, were built on a tank chassis but without the armor. The primary weapon of the 614th TD Battalion was the 75mm field gun mounted on a M3 half-track. Thomas, equipped with mechanical engineering training, stood out to his superiors and was chosen to attend Tank Destroyer Officer Candidate School when the 614th was re-located to Camp Bowie, Texas on December 18, 1942.

Upon graduating from Officer Candidate School on March 11, 1943 Thomas was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to Company C in the 614th TD Battalion. Shortly after commissioning, Thomas and the rest of the 614th TD Battalion were transferred to their new home at Camp Hood, Texas. The 614th TD Battalion was reorganized as a towed battalion in May 1943 and their new weapon was the M5 3-inch gun pulled by the M3 half-tracks.

In late February 1944, the 614th TD Battalion transferred to Camp Polk, in Louisiana, to participate in the Louisiana Maneuvers. These maneuvers were grueling large-scale military exercises in bayous and swamps of the area. The 614th participated in these maneuvers until March 21, 1944, when they returned to Camp Hood.

On August 10, 1944, Thomas and the rest of the 614th TD Battalion boarded a train on a three-day, 1,700-mile journey to Camp Shanks in Rockland County, New York. Camp Shanks was known as “Last Stop USA” before heading overseas to fight in Europe. 

On August 27, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion boarded the Esperance Bay in New York City bound for Avonmouth, United Kingdom. They arrived on September 7. On October 2, the men of the 614th headed toward Southampton to prepare for transport to France. Shortly after arrival in Southampton the 614th boarded Landing Ship Tanks, known as LSTs, for the five-day journey across the English Channel. The men landed on Utah Beach and traveled 25 miles east to Cherbourg, France. They bivouacked in a rain-soaked field for the next 30 days. After thirty days in Cherbourg, the 614th was attached to the 95th Infantry Division, which was part of General George Patton’s Third Army. Thomas knew with this assignment he and his men would see combat.

The 614th first saw combat on November 22, near Mittel, Germany. During this battle 1st Platoon was the first to be hit with enemy fire. When Thomas heard the opening salvo, he rushed his 3rd Platoon forward to assist his comrades. During this first encounter with the enemy, Thomas demonstrated a fearlessness to help his brothers in arms. During their next engagement on December 8, Thomas and his company continued to impress higher-ranking officers with their accurate firing on the enemy.

On December 14, Thomas led the 3rd Platoon toward the French village of Climbach. As they approached the town, German artillery hit Thomas’s scout car, wounding Thomas in both his arms and legs. He was helping the other men in his car when he was hit with machine-gun fire. Severely wounded, Thomas ordered his guns to deploy and take out the German positions. Thomas continued to lead his troops and identify enemy targets. He eventually was evacuated once he was confident his junior officer could handle on the situation. 
After the war, when asked about the battle, Thomas said, “I know I was sent out to locate and draw the enemy fire, but I didn’t mean to draw that much.” Thanks to Thomas’s and the 3rd Platoon’s heroism, the Allied Forces were able to take Climbach.

Thomas was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on February 20, 1945. After recovering from his wounds, Thomas stayed in the Army and retired on August 10, 1947, with the rank of major. In civilian life, Thomas worked as a missile technician at Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan and as a computer programmer for the Internal Revenue Service. Major Charles L. Thomas died on February 15, 1980, in Wayne, Michigan. He was buried at the West Lawn Cemetery in Wayne.

In the early 1990s, the Department of Defense began to study the issue of why no African Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. The investigation looked at historical documents including Distinguished Service Cross paperwork. It was determined that Black soldiers had been denied consideration for the Medal of Honor in World War II because of their race. The report put forward seven men who deserved the Medal of Honor for their actions. Charles L. Thomas was one of them. President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Thomas on January 13, 1997. The award was presented to Thomas’ niece, Ms. Sandra Johnson.

Charles L. Thomas’ Medal of Honor citation reads:
“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Then Lieutenant Charles L. Thomas distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 14 December 1944. One platoon of Company C, 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, was designated as the lead element in a task force formed to storm and capture the village of Climbach, France. Lieutenant Thomas, the Commanding Officer of Company C, realized, with the obscurity of information regarding the enemy and a complete lack of reconnaissance, the mission would be an extremely dangerous one. Fully cognizant of the danger, Lieutenant Thomas volunteered to command the selected platoon of his company and ride in the column's leading vehicle - a highly maneuverable, but equally vulnerable, M-20 scout car. Lieutenant Thomas knew that if there was a concentration of enemy armor in the village, as was believed, he would absorb the initial shock of the first enemy resistance. The task force left Preuschdorf, France, at 1023 hours, and proceeded to advance in column toward Climbach. Lieutenant Thomas in his scout car stayed well in front of the column. At 1400 hours, upon reaching the high ground southeast of the village, Lieutenant Thomas experienced initial contact with the enemy. As his scout car advanced to an exposed position on the heights, he received intense direct fire from enemy artillery, self-propelled guns, and small arms at a range of seven hundred yards. The first burst of hostile fire disabled the scout car and severely wounded Lieutenant Thomas. He immediately signaled the column to halt. Before leaving the wrecked vehicle, Lieutenant Thomas and the crew found themselves subjected to a veritable hail of enemy fire. Lieutenant Thomas received multiple gunshot wounds in his chest, legs, and left arm. In spite of the intense pain caused by his wounds, Lieutenant Thomas ordered and directed the dispersion and emplacement of his first two antitank guns. In a few minutes these guns were effectively returning the enemy fire. Realizing that it would be impossible for him to remain in command of the platoon because of his injuries, Lieutenant Thomas then signaled for the platoon commander to join him. Lieutenant Thomas then thoroughly oriented him as to the enemy gun positions, his ammunition status, and the general situation. Although fully cognizant of the probable drastic consequences of not receiving prompt medical attention, Lieutenant Thomas refused evacuation until he felt certain that his junior officer was in full control of the situation. Only then did Lieutenant Thomas allow his evacuation to the rear. Throughout the action, Lieutenant Thomas displayed magnificent personal courage and a complete disregard for his own safety. His extraordinary heroism spurred the soldiers of the platoon to a fierce determination to triumph and resulted in a mass display of heroism by them. Lieutenant Thomas' intrepid actions throughout the operation reflect the highest traditions of military service.”