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🇺🇲 WWII uncovered: 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion Commander Lieutenant Charles L. Thomas Awarded Medal of Honor.

 🇺🇲 WWII uncovered: 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion Commander Lieutenant Charles L. Thomas Awarded Medal of Honor



Lieutenant Charles L. Thomas, of Detroit Michigan, entered service with  the US Army on January 20, 1942. After completing Officers Candidate School at Camp Carson in Colorado Springs, Charles was promoted to Second Lieutenant on March 11, 1943. Thomas became the commander of Company C, 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion.


"On August 27, 1944, Lieutenant Thomas deployed with the 614th to England. The 614th attached to General Patton's Third Army in Metz, France. The Battalion saw its first combat on November 28, 1944. On December 5, the 614th was attached to 411th Infantry Regiment, and on December 6, the 614th was attached to the 103rd Infantry Division." ( US Army)


According to the National World War II Museum: "The morning of December 14 was cold and foggy. As the attacking force, named Task Force Blackshear after its commanding officer, approached Climbach, it came under heavy fire. This was the signal for Company C’s Third Platoon, consisting of four M5 guns, to deploy. Determined to oversee the action, Lt. Thomas sped to the front in his armored M20 scout car. Almost immediately, the M20 was hit by an enemy anti-tank gun, severely injuring Lt. Thomas and slightly injuring his crew. Instead of calling attention to himself, Thomas called a halt and helped his crewmen abandon the scout car. This made him an easy target for a German machine gun, which opened fire and hit Lt. Thomas in the chest, left arm, and legs. Even then he carried on, directing his men to deploy their guns where they could take the Germans under direct fire from the only location available—in the open, out in a field." (National World War II Museum)


"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. Charles Thomas was acknowledged with the Distinguished Service Cross on February 20, 1945 (pictured). On August 10, 1947 Charles retired from the Army with the rank of Major. (Medal of Honor Citation and National World War II Museum)


On January 19, 1997 Major Charles Thomas was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Clinton in a White House ceremony. Charles passed away on February 15, 1980 at the age of 59. He lies in rest at the Westlawn Cemetery in Wayne Michigan. Lest We Forget.


#ww2uncovered #MedalofHonor 

#BlackHistoryMonth #WWIIveteran  #blackhistorymonth2023 #WWII 

#WorldWarII #worldwar2 #worldwartwo #blackhistory #WWIIVet #ww2history #greatestgeneration #wwiihistory #honorourveterans #ww2veteran #lestweforget 


WWII uncovered©️ original description and photo sourced by US Signal Corps Archive, US Army, Ancestry Database and the National World War II Museum.

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