John Robert Thomas
John Robert Thomas was born on November 15, 1919, in Lyon County, Kentucky, the fourth of seven children born to William Robert “Willie” Thomas and Emma Rogers Thomas. Willie had one son, Harland Truman, born in 1905, by his first wife, Mary Jane Ingram Thomas. Willie and Emma’s other children were Milton Ward “Chuck”, born in 1910; Mary Agnes, born in 1912; William Howell, born in 1915; Eunice Grace, born in 1917; an unnamed infant, born and died in 1923 and Cecil Wayne, born in 1926. Willie and Emma were both natives of Trigg County, Kentucky and were lifelong farmers.
When John was seven years old, the family moved from Lyon County to Trigg County where John grew up in the Canton District and attended Trigg County Schools. He attended the new high school in Cadiz and was a member if the first class to graduate from Trigg County High school in May of 1938.
After graduating from high school, John enlisted in the U. S, Navy in 1939. He received his basic military training at the Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia. He was then assigned aboard the battleship, the USS Oklahoma as a Chief Boatswain’s Mate.
On December 7, 1941, John was aboard the USS Oklahoma which was docked at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese made their infamous attack. A total of 429 men died on the ship during the attack and survivors jumped off the ship 50 feet into boiling hot water in order to escape the ship before it sunk. John was one of those who jumped from the ship and managed to swim until he was rescued.
After Pearl Harbor, John was assigned to the USS Enterprise before being transferred to the South Pacific where he participated in the Solomon Island Campaign. He fought against the Japanese march against New Zealand and Australia. His final major invasion was the battle for the island of Iwo Jima.
John was discharged from military service in December 1945 after having served six years for his country during World War II. Instead of returning to his home in Trigg County, Kentucky, he settled in California. There he was employed with the Southern California Edison Utility Company where he worked until his retirement in 1979.
As a civilian, John became an active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. He served for five terms as national president of the organization. He also was an active member of the American Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Prior to 1950, John married his first wife, Opal Winters, a native of Illinois, who worked as a bookkeeper. John and Opal lived in Cypress, California. They were divorced on January 20, 1984. His second marriage was to Phyllis Ann Evans who he married on February 22, 1984 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Phyllis was born October 19, 1918 in Columbus, Ohio. John had no children.
John died on July 1, 2005 in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 86. He was buried in the Harrison Township Cemetery in South Bloomfield, Ohio. His wife, Phyllis, died February 5, 2011 at the age of 93 in Columbus. She was buried in the Harrison Township Cemetery near her husband.
Tombstone of John R. Thomas
Tombstone of Phyllis Thomas
LINEAGE: (John Robert Thomas was the son of William Robert “Willie” and Emma Rogers Thomas and the grandson of Robert Allison and Emma Nora Cunningham Thomas. Robert Allison was the fifth child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas. Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas. Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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