Darwin Joel Thomas

Ensign
VA-152, CVW-16, USS ORISKANY
United States Navy
28 April 1943 - 14 October 1966
Santa Clara, CA
Panel 11E Line 075

USS ORISKANY

VA-152
Naval Aviator

Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Darwin Joel Thomas

21 Apr 2000

The VVA chapter 201 in Santa Clara/San Jose
is named memorially after Darwin Thomas.

Darwin flew off the carrier USS Oriskany and was shot down.
Originally listed as Missing In Action, he is now listed as
"killed, body not recovered".

Darwin's dad is a friend and fellow member of VVA and VFW.

Dave Sanders,
Sr Vice Commander, VFW Post 3982, Mission Santa Clara, CA

19 Apr 2003

I have adopted this gentleman, this soul, as 'my' POW/MIA ... I think of him often, and pray he is at rest and happy... I work in a busy laboratory close by Mather Air Force Base... now known as Mather Field... with a wonderful VA medical center... I want to help to keep the "cause" alive... I wish I could do more...

Wendy
E-mail address is not available.

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Two A-1H Skyraiders were conducting a night armed reconnaissance mission in a hilly area about 25 miles southeast of Thanh Hoa, North Vietnam, when they spotted lights on a road. Ensign Thomas, in A-1H BuNo 139731, rolled in to attack the target but failed to pull out before the aircraft impacted the ground and exploded. His remains have not been repatriated (20 Apr 03).




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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Channing Prothro, former CAP Marine
Last updated 08/10/2009