Nathan Thomas, Jr. was born July 26, 1927 at Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. to Nathan Sr. & Georgia Hicks Thomas. July 26, 1947 Nathan married Wanda Pauline Rosson in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Nathan enlisted in the US Navy the first time on December 14, 1944 and served until May 23, 1946. He re-enlisted September 30 1947 and served until September 28, 1950. He was wounded and received the Purple Heart. His rank was AD3 - Aviation Machinist's Mate Petty Officer 3rd Class. On April 6, 1950 his residence was Saint Inigoes, St. Marys Co., Maryland. He was still serving with the US Navy as a Aviation Machinist's Mate. Wife Wanda and 2 young sons are residing there also. His inferred residence in 1945 was San Diego, California. November 15, 1953 Nathan Thomas passed away in San Diego, California. His burial was in Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. in Rose Lawn Park Cemetery. Nathan served aboard the USS Bairoko (CVE-115) which was a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier of the United States Navy in service from 1945 to 1955. USS Bairoko was named after the Battle of Bairoko, a battle over Bairoko Harbor - a small inlet on the north coast of New Georgia, Solomon Islands - which took place on 20 July 1943 between American and Japanese forces. Bairoko eventually was occupied by American forces on 26 August 1943. Bairoko engaged in peacetime fleet cruises, maneuvers, and exercises until December 1949. During the period she made two cruises to the Far East (18 October 1946 - 25 January 1947 and 18 February - 30 May 1947), and participated in the atomic bomb test at Eniwetok Atoll. On 16 December 1949 she reported to San Francisco for pre-inactivation overhaul and went out of commission in reserve 14 April 1950. Photo - The U.S. Navy escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115), as she arrived at Pearl Harbor, Thursday evening, 28 July 1949, from San Diego, California (USA), with 30 officers and 150 enlisted personnel from Composite Squadron 25 (VC-25), which received six weeks' training with Fleet All Weather Training Unit at Naval Air Station Barber's Point, Oahu, T.H. See a much larger image HERE Click on the image when it appears.