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Honoring One
Man’s Sacrifice
The staff at Thomas Health System has
memorialized the sacrifice of its namesake, Sergeant
Herbert J. Thomas Jr., with its Hall of Honor.
Thomas gave his life to protect his fellow soldiers
during the WWII Battle of Koromokina Lagoon.
Members of St. Albans High School’s
JROTC visiting the Hall of Honor.
Samantha Cart
John Sibold
In a state that produces one of the
nation’s highest per capita military service
rates, stories of heroism and bravery
abound. In the case of Sergeant Herbert
J. Thomas Jr., the namesake of Thomas
Memorial Hospital in South Charleston,
one man’s sacrifice is making a lasting
impression on West Virginia. The staff
at Thomas Health System has created the
Hall of Honor as a tribute to his remarkable sacrifice.
Thomas, a South Charleston native,
left college in July 1941 to enlist in the
U.S. Army Air Corps during World War
II (WWII). After a transfer to the Marine
Corps, he was sent to the South Pacific to
join the fight against the Imperial Japanese
Army. It was there during the Battle of
Koromokina Lagoon on the island of
Bougainville in 1943 that Thomas met
his death in an act of selflessness.
During a Marine infantry assault against
two Japanese companies, the young
sergeant led his squad in an advance
against the enemy’s position. When the
squad found itself head-to-head with the
strategically placed and well-equipped
Japanese company, Thomas threw a
grenade to initiate the attack. However,
the grenade hit a vine and fell too close
to the men. Thomas immediately threw
himself on the grenade to save the lives of
his fellow soldiers, and he was killed instantly. Saved by their leader,
the remaining men charged
ExEdge
on and overtook the Japanese
company. This, along with As of 2014,
the valor of countless other there were 21.8
million veterans
servicemen, led to a U.S. of the U.S.
victory in the battle.
armed forces,
Thomas was posthumously approximately 10
awarded the Congressional percent of whom
are women.
Medal of Honor and was also
honored with a Navy Cross, Source: www.
Purple Heart, Presidential usnews.com/
news/blogs/
Unit Citation and the Asiat- data-mine/
ic-Pacific Campaign Medal. 2014/11/10/
Thomas’ hometown honored veterans-dayhis sacrifice by naming the data-boot-camp
brand new Thomas Memorial
Hospital after him, which opened on
December 9, 1946. In December 2015,
the hospital renewed its mission to recognize its namesake by opening the Herbert
J. Thomas Jr. Hall of Honor.
www.wvexecutive.com
summer 2016
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