Francis John Thomas
SPrivate 1st Class, Company L, 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division
Francis was born the 6th of July 1915 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the youngest of four children born to Harold and Luarenza Thomas. He was a member of Company K, 181st Infantry of the Massachusetts National Guard. He married Lydia Brazeau and they would have one son Francis Jr, while making their home at 33 Paris Street. He was working at Marlborough Wire Goods Company when the Massachusetts National Guard was mobilized the 16th of January 1941.
Following his mobilization, he was assigned to L Company, 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. This regiment began its first two phases of mobilization training in December of 1942 at Camp Blanding, Florida and completed the final phase at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. Francis and the rest of the regiment departed for Europe aboard USAT BRAZIL departing from Boston Harbor the 12th of February 1944.
Upon arriving in Liverpool, England the 23rd of February 1944, the regiment was assigned quarters in Sussex, England and continued training. The 119th Regiment and the rest of the 30th Division landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France the 13th of June 1944. Moving inland the regiment remained on the defensive near the Vire river until attacking successfully across the river in early July. Eventually liberating St. Lo from German occupation, the Division successfully defended against a German counterattack from the 7th until the 12th of August 1944.
On the 10th of August 1944 Francis was killed in action. His remains were repatriated to the United States in 1948 and he is buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Marlborough.
