This email is coming from Col. Thomas’ son Bob, to sadly
inform you that Col. T. has taken his last march.
He died Saturday morning at about
4:00am
in his sleep. I know that you had
recently contacted him in regard to a reunion which I’m sure he would love to
be a part of if not in body but in spirit. Please
keep his memory alive with those you come in contact with.
We are having a memorial service for Pop on Wednesday Dec. 21 at
2:00pm
at St. Eugene Catholic Church 72 Culvern
St.
, Ashville. Please pass along the
news to anyone that you know that may have known Al.
Below is Colonel A. I. Thomas’ obituary.
It appeared in the Asheville Citizen Times, today
December 20, 2005
. Colonel Thomas was CO of 1/4 when
we were at
Kaneohe
.
At the end of the obituary is a note from Colonel Thomas’
son. Attached to this note are two
pictures of Colonel Thomas.
Asheville Citizen – Times
Voice of the Mountains
Asheville
High’s ‘The Colonel’ touched many
lives, friends say Alfred I. Thomas, who founded Marines; JROTC at school, dies
at 83.
By Angie Newsome, Staff Writer
Published
December
20, 2005
ASHEVILLE
– A beloved former
Asheville
High School
teacher known for his strength and steady belief in his students died in his
sleep Saturday after an extended illness.
North Asheville
resident Alfred I. Thomas, 83, worked for 21 years as the senior instructor for
the Marine Corps Junior ROTC program, which he established.
A football coach, he was also a decorated 33-year veteran
of the U.S. Marine Corps, having served in
World War II
,
Korea
and the Viet Nam War. He was
awarded six Silver Star medals for his service.
‘He was our Marine’, said Bob Thomas, one of four
children he had with his wife, Helen. ‘Everything
you picture in a Marine that was my dad’.
Scores of students credit his positive spirit and his
expectation of excellence for helping shape their lives during and after high
school. Barrel-chested and known for his strong hands and big hugs, Thomas’
big heart drove him to dedicate himself to the school and its students, family
and fields said.
‘He was there through a lot of personal trials of
mine’, said
Asheville
resident and former student Sharon Pace. ‘If
we were having problems at home, he would encourage me there.
He wouldn’t let me quit no matter what kind of problems I was
having’.
He was compassionate, but he also had a streak of
competitiveness.
The Junior ROTC won eight first-place and eight
second-place Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association Awards under his
leadership. These awards honor units
with exceptional community and school service and successful drill and rifle
competitions.
‘People call up here and say if it hadn’t been for
‘The Colonel’, they wouldn’t be here, literally’, said Master Sgt. James
‘Top’ Duncan, as he sat Monday in Thomas’ old office at Asheville High
School. ‘He as the one that kept
them going. It was through force and
not letting them down’.
He taught students the value of teamwork, added former
student, Mayor Terry Bellamy.
‘No matter how well I performed (on the drill team), if
the whole team didn’t perform well, we didn’t win’, she said.
‘It just wasn’t just about one person, it was about everybody moving
forward together’.
Moving forward seems a little tough now for his family, and
for Duncan and former Asheville High football coach Lou Fogle, two who have
become like family to the Thomas’s.
‘Everyone else called him ‘The Colonel’, Fogle said,
‘but I always called him a hero’.
The Life Of Col Alfred I. Thomas
Colonel Alfred I. Thomas was born
August 13, 1922, at Tampa, Florida. He entered the United States Marine
Corps as an enlisted man in June 1942. He served overseas during World War
II with the 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division and participated in the Marshall
Islands, Marianas and Iwo Jima campaigns, receiving a field commission
subsequent to the Iwo Jima operation. During this period he earned the
Silver Star and Bronze Star Medals.
Upon his return to the United States
in October 1945, he was assigned to Marine Barracks, Jacksonville, Florida.
In August 1946, he entered was assigned to Marine Barracks, Jacksonville,
Florida. In August 1946, he entered Northwestern University, graduating in
June 1950. During this period, he served with the 9th Infantry Battalion,
USMCR, Cicero, Illinois. From August 1950 to August 1951, he was with the
3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in Korea as a Platoon Leader, Company Executive
Officer, Company Commander and Assistant Battalion S-3, and was awarded his
second and third Silver Star Medals and an accelerated promotion to
Captain. From October 1951 to June 1954, he performed duty at Marines
Corps Schools, Quantico and then attended the Amphibious Warfare School, Junior
Course. Following this, he served consecutive tours at Marine Corps Base,
Camp Pendleton, until July 1956; with the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines on Okinawa
until September 1957; and as Inspector-Instructor, 8th Infantry/2nd
Reconnaissance battalion, USMCR, Toledo, Ohio until July 1960.
He then attended in turn, the Army
Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Army Counterinsurgency
Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. From October 1961 until June 1964,
he served with the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Brigade as Executive
Officer for eight months and Commanding Officer for twenty-six months, followed
by a three year tour with the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, Headquarters Marine
Corps. From July 1967 through August 1968, in Viet Nam, Colonel Thomas
served as Commanding Officer, Battalion Landing Team 1/3, Special Landing Force
Alpha; Commanding Officer, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division and
Commanding Officer of Task Group 79.4, Special Landing Force Alpha. During
this period, he was awarded the Legion of Merit. Upon his return to the
United States in August 1968, he headed the Support Services Branch, Division of
Reserve at Headquarters Marine Corps.
In 1971, Colonel Thomas took command
of the Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Colonel Thomas married the former
Helen Perry (former Olympic Swimmer) of Cleveland, Ohio. They have four
children; William, Kathleen (a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team); Robert,
and Richard. And five grandchildren, Lisa and Abby Thomas, Bill and Tommy
Young, and Jonathan Thomas.
A complete list of medals and
decorations include:
Silver Star Medal w/2 Gold Stars
Legion of Merit w/Combat V
Bronze Star w/Combat V
Navy Unit Commendation
Presidential Unit Citation w/1
Silver Star
Combat Action Ribbon
Organized Marine Corps Reserve
Medal
American Campaign
Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/4
Bronze Stars
World War II Victory
Medal
National Defense Service Medal w/1
Bronze Star
Korean Service Medal w/1 Silver
Star
Vietnam Service Medal w/4 Bronze
Stars
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/1
Silver Star
United Nations Service Medal
Korean Presidential Unit
citation
Vietnam Campaign
Medal
Vietnam Campaign
Medal
Vietnamese Unit citation
Vietnamese Unit Citation
Taking care of his men, even under
the worst of circumstances, brought Al Thomas a remarkable collection of
citations - among them, a Bronze Star, two Legions of Merit with Combat
"V", and three Silver Stars.
And each has a story. Like
that June night in 1944 in the Marianas Islands when the Fourth Marine Division
found itself in a surprise Banzai attack. 'I was platoon sergeant of a
weapons company. They knew we couldn't see them at night, so that's when
they struck. My job was to keep my men shooting to give cover to our
troops'. The Silver Star citation fills in the details; 'Sergeant Thomas
braved intense hostile fire to bring his half tracks into a advantageous position
where he coolly held them together while they delivered effective fire which
furnished protective cover for the withdrawal of the infantry'.
Modestly, Colonel Thomas responds,
'I just kept firing and yelling encouragement to my men to stay with it - you
lead by example'.
Lead by example. That simple
motto also led to a Bronze Star from Iwo Jima. 'When we got there, that
island didn't look like it had anything left on it but craters', Colonel Thomas
recalls. 'We thought we could take it in three or four days. What we
didn't know was that the Japanese had everything underground, from a command
post to a hospital'. On the first landing, the young Marine's platoon
commander was wounded. Sergeant Thomas volunteered to assume his
duties. Two weeks into the fighting, the Bronze Star Citation describes
the action best: '....Despite fierce enemy mortar fire, he maintained position
for eight hours....and, in the interim, contained a pocket of hostile resistance
which halted the advance of an infantry battalion, destroyed at least three
enemy machine guns and mortar positions, and neutralized several others'.
After 33 years in the Marines,
Colonel Thomas has spent 21 years with the Junior ROTC of Asheville High School,
winning seven times the national award of Best Unit
Without hesitation, Colonel Thomas
says, 'I did my best - and I'd do it all again'.
Want A Hill?
Company I Will Get It For You
N. U. (Northwestern University)
Gridder Tells How 2 Were Taken
Central Front, Korea, April 3, -
Four times South Korean troops were sent against the sheer sides of massive
Clover Leaf hill guarding the western approaches to Hoengsong. Four times
the North Koreans knocked them back.
Then the South Koreans called on the
3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Maj Maurice E roach of Memphis, Tenn.,
battalion commander, called i turn on Lt Alfred I. Thomas, 28, and Item (I)
Company. Ever since the 10th Corps landed at Inchon these spark plugs have
been saying, 'Fight 'em with Item'.
Over Open Ground
'I sure was proud of my men on
Clover Leaf', said Thomas, who played a lot of football as end on Northwestern
University's championship Rose Bowl team before he was graduated last June.
'A tank got a heavy machine gun
which had been giving the most trouble while my men crossed 1,000 yards of open
ground to assault the hill mass. With fixed bayonets they crawled and
pulled themselves up the rocky slope. The gooks kept pitching hand
grenades, but our guys just dodged them and kept on going.
'At the top, one of my men found two
gooks still in their fox hole. He bayoneted one and shot the other'.
And then was Hill 930, which was
3,000 feet high almost straight up and down overlooking Hongchon. Item
Company, which has climbed so many hills it can't count the number, took this
one, too.
Fired On With Own Powder
'The enemy was really dug in', said
Thomas. 'They had hit us the night before with mortars and artillery, but
we attacked with our own artillery and rockets and then went up. The enemy
took off, leaving 50 cases of light mortar ammunition which we immediately used
against them. We also found four big cases of our own dynamite and new
enemy canvas shoes and canteens. They must have been in a hurry'.
Thomas, who calls Hinman
House, 'Evanston, his home, an many other Chicagoans in the battalion were
members of Chicago's Marine Reserve 9th Infantry Battalion which numbered more
than 1,000 when called to active duty last summer.
As a platoon sergeant before winning
his battlefield commission Thomas won the Bronze Star on Saipan and the Silver
Star on Iwo Jima in the last war. He has been recommended for the Bronze
Star in his last battles and for the Navy's highest award, the Navy Cross, for
action south of Koto, Dec. 8, when the Marines fought out of the Changjin
reservoir trap.
Hold Off 300 of Foe
With H Company down to 20 per
cent of its strength, Thomas held off 300 well dug-in Chinese. Then,
coordinating his supporting fire, Thomas led him men in taking the objective and
inflicting high enemy casualties. Bullets pierced his own clothing four
times but in two wars he has yet to be scratched.
Lt. Col. John M. Bathum, 6824
Jeffery Ave., Chicago, former park district aquatic director who commanded the (th
Reserve Battalion, is here as a special staff officer of the !st Marine
Division.
Other Chicago Landers in the 3rd
Battalion include Pvt Robert j. Pardee, 2420 Harrison St., Evanston, machine
gunner; Pvt Thomas D Witcheck, 4038 Addison St., Chicago, ambulance
driver; Pvt James Dziak, 3031 W. 36th St., Chicago; wireman; Lt
Kenneth M. Buss, 129 W 69th St., Hazelcrest, Platoon Leader; Sgt Clarence L.
Welter, 127th St. and Crawford Ave., Blue Island, platoon sergeant;
Kenneth L. Thomas, 6620 Jefferson Ave., Hammond, Ind., hospital corpsman; Pvt
Lester H. Rottsolk of Aurora, Ill., squad leader; Pvt George J. Svoboda,
1521 Clinton Ave., Berwyn, radio operator; Corp Edmund Oltz, 4111 Oakdale ?Ave.,
Chicago, machine gunner; Sgt Armand Moss, 1919 George Ct., Glenviewk squad
leader.
When Item company started out, Capt
Richard Sengwald, now back at Quantico, had four football players for company
officers. They included Thomas, Northwestern University star; Lts Ray Day
from Arizona, John Werkowska, Purdue, and William Johnson, Minnesota.
Thomas is the only original line
officer still in the battalion's companies.
Story written by John H. Thompson, Chicago Tribune Press
Services - date Unknown
Local High School Unit Tops In
Nation
Asheville, N.C - Asheville High
School's Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) Unit was
the winner of the 1992-93 Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association award for
having the best unit in the nation. Asheville High topped 82 other schools
for the number one honor.
The Asheville High School MCJROTC
program was established in 1975 and entered national competition for the first
time in 1977. Since that time the cadets of Asheville H.S. have won top
honors five times. There are 83 units composed of approximately 15,000
cadets who compete throughout the United States.
The annual award is based on
frequent community involvement and participation, a successful public affairs
program, academic accomplishments, outstanding results in competitions,
maintaining mikitary bearing and the display of leadership. District
project officers hold an inspection annually to determine which high school
program will compete for the MCROA award.
Prior to achieving this victory, the
unit was selected number one in the 6th Marine Corps District defeating 21 other
high schools in the southeastern state.
'The community service hours of the
Asheville High School MCJROTC program were about double the other units', said
Captain Mark Tull, the District project officer. 'That's where they stood
above the rest'. Tull added that the unit averaged 46 community service
hours per cadet. Also, half the unit received recognition for being on the
'A' and 'B' honor roll for the school. On Oct. 5, 1992, the unit's last
inspection was held and they received a 96.7 score out of a possible 100 points.
As for their overall performance
against other units, Tull said: 'They placed very well in all competitions they
entered'. He added that the program embodies what JROTC is all about,
'doing well in school and helping their community'.
'The pride, esprit de corps, and
commitment they take in themselves and in their unit, contributed in their
receiving the award', said retired Marine Colonel Al Thomas, the school's
military science department chairperson. 'They are dedicated and devoted
to duty'.
According t Thomas, the high school
cadets have spent more than 7,000 hours performing community service, public
affairs, and school activities during school year 1992-93. Six thousand of
those hours were spent during weekends, holidays or evenings.
'That's when people want us, so we
don't take a holiday', the 71 year old retired Marine said with a glimmer of
pride in his eyes.
The cadets have voluntarily
performed numerous color guards, parades and Marine Corps Birthday Ball
ceremonies, along with providing local aid such as selling fruit for community
and school support organizations. They also provide traffic control for
all high school sporting events, local road races and fund-raising
activities. The unit also provides approximately 25 grave-site military
honors for deceased veterans.
Proud of his unit and the respect
they earn, Thomas receives numerous letters of appreciation from a grateful
community. One such letter was from the son of a deceased former
Marine. The unit provided a military burial detail for the man's father.
written by Sgt
P.D. Sanderson - Asheville Citizen-Times - Date Unknown
Citation
Spirit of Civitan Award
Presented by
The Asheville Civitan Club
To
Alfred I. Thomas, Colonel, USMC
(Ret)
May 28, 1996
The Asheville Civitan Club takes
pleasure in presenting the 'Spirit of Civitan' Award to Alfred I. Thomas,
Colonel, United States Marine Corps, (Retired).
This award is presented in
recognition of the extraordinary contributions to the community by Colonel
Thomas while serving as Senior Marine Instructor and Chief, Department of
Military Science, Asheville High School, Asheville, North Carolina.
Since establishing the Marine Corps
Junior ROTC program at Asheville High School in July, 1875, Colonel Thomas has
been responsible for a unique and highly successful Junior ROTC activity, in
terms of both community service and character development of the approximately
1500 young women and men cadets.
From the inception of the program,
Colonel Thomas has strived to insure the program's participants develop strength
of character, discipline, self worth, and form healthy and productive attitudes
- all fundamental to a lifetime of accomplishment.
It is unfortunate statistics do not
exist, that would demonstrate how many young people from all economic strata,
who, by living lives of success and virtue, are examples of their exposure to
Colonel Thomas and his dedication t their betterment.
As testament to the leadership of
Colonel Thomas, and his devotion to this students, is the fact that, during the
program's eighteen year history, the unit has been judged the best in the nation
seven times and has been judged second best in the nation seven times.
This is a remarkable achievement.
One pillar of success of the
Asheville High School Marine corps Junior ROTC program, is the commitment of
Colonel Thomas to community service. In the last fiscal year, Colonel
Thomas led the members of the unit in 8200 hours of community service.
Thus far this year, the total stands at 5500 hours. It is doubtful any
other Junior ROTC program, of any service, at any location, can match the depth
of this undertaking.
It should be noted, ninety per cent
of community service activities, are accomplished in the evenings, on weekends,
or holidays. At great personal sacrifice in terms of time and family
involvement, Colonel Thomas, or members of his staff are present at each
community service commitment.
Assisting at the 'Friends of the
Library' books sale, unloading containers of Florida citrus for the Health
Adventure, providing assistance for the Arts Alliance Art a la carte fund
raiser, controlling traffic at high School events or fund raising street races,
and providing grave side honors for deceased veterans are but a few of the civic
activities accomplished by Colonel Thomas and those whit whom he works
The files of Colonel Thomas are
replete with correspondence acknowledging his accomplishments. They range
from letters of commendation from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, to letters
of appreciation from members of local civic organizations, to simple letters of
thanks from individuals, grateful for the dignity and honor provided by Colonel
Thomas and Junior ROTC Cadets at a funeral of a loved one.
Colonel Thomas is an individual of
the very highest order. A patriot, a committed community citizen and an
example without peer, to countless young women and men, who are fortunate indeed
to have been exposed to his character, strength and commitment.
The Asheville Civitan Club is proud
to present the 'Spirit of Civitan' award to Colonel Alfred I. Thomas
Accolades for Colonel Alfred
Thomas from the Asheville High Community
What impresses me about Col. t in
the eight years I have known him is that with him what you see is what you
get. In a world where values too often seem relative, Col. T lets you know
in no uncertain terms what he believed in; hard word, dedication, love of
country, respectfulness. When my son marc first entered the Jr. ROTC
program I must admit I had some misgivings about how I thought ROTC might harden
him. What the program did was teach him how to serve others and how to aspire
to excellence. I am prod of my son and I am proud of my son's association
with Col. T.
Chris Mathews
Some people think of Col. T as an
old war hero, but others closest to him think of him as a father and an
idol. He has served his country well in the years past, and is now going
to retire for good. He has always had his door open for anyone who needed
help
Charles Jones
Colonel T is one in one million
teachers who really care about the students. he has taught me so much this
year about life in general: human relations, jobs, learning, and Colonel T's
personal favorite attitude.
Sherry Davis
Colonel Thomas has been a great
source of inspiration for the four years I have known him, He has always
encourage me to do my best and to have a positive attitude. I could always
turn to him when I had a problem, no matter what the case or time of day.
It is hard for me to trust people, but Col. t is someone I have complete
confidence in
Courtney Jones
Col Thomas is like a second father
to me because he has been so good to all of us in the ROTC program. He is
always looking out for all of us and he puts us first before himself just to
keep from being selfish
Darrell Waldrop
I have learned a lot since I have
been in Asheville High and I am not talking about facts like the Spanish
American War. I am talking about tings you will need in the real world
like responsibility having a good attitude about things, and bearing.
Tom foster
He's really made a change on
everyone in ROTC like the Dad we never had
Katie Huffstutter
When I came into the unit a piece
of my heart was missing. Yes, the unit helped, but Colonel Thomas helped the most.
Melissa Bowditch
The first day I came to ROTC,
Colonel Thomas greeted me with his bone-crushing hand shake and his crippling
pat on the back. I knew right then I would stay in the ROTC program all
through high school. Colonel Thomas is a man you respect and admire the
very first time you have a conversation with him
Kim Parker
Colonel Thomas has been a mentor
for all who knows him, a leader for the ROTC program, and a father to all of the
cadets. And no matter how much he yells we all know it is out of goodness
of his heart. Col Thomas has been a role model to everone who had known
him and he has a special place in my heart because even when I wanted to give
up, he didn't give up on me.
Kendra Edgerton
The Colonel has had a great
influence in my life. He has taught me that any goal is achievable and
that great or small makes no difference on the effort we put into it. He
has also taught me to take responsibility for the task assigned to me and to
take responsibility for the actions I take
Jon Bates
Simply put, Colonel Thomas is a
legend in his own time.
Mr Hickey
NO one cold ever replace Colonel
Thomas's shoes or ver replace what he fought for.
Avi Mechanic
As written in the Cougar Chronicle's Opinion Column in June
1996