William Roy Thomas was born on July 5, 1907, in Benton, Illinois. He was married to Elizabeth Smith. He was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy from Illinois’s 25th District, graduating with the Class of 1932, receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry, and later served with the 11th Infantry at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. In 1935, Thomas transferred to the Field Artillery, where he helped pioneer the experimental Mechanized Field Artillery at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After completing the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1937, he joined the 15th Field Artillery, 2nd Division. In 1940, he was assigned to Fort Stotsenberg in the Philippines.

When war broke out, Thomas remained at his post after sending his wife, Elizabeth Smith, and daughter, Mollie, home for safety. He was captured following the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. After surviving the Bataan Death March, he endured three shipwrecks and severe mistreatment by his captors, ultimately dying of avitaminosis (vitamin deficiency) on February 13, 1945, at Camp Moji (Hospital) Fukuoka #4, Kyushu Island. He is now buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay Township, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, alumni.westpointaog.org