Quick Facts
Biography
Lloyd Thomas (March 10, 1912 – June 4, 1942) was an aviator in United States Navy who was killed in action in World War II during the Battle of Midway while attacking an Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier.
Biography
Thomas was born in Nelsonville, Ohio. He attended the local schools and then graduated from Ohio University in June 1935.
Thomas was appointed as an aviation cadet on 4 October 1938, and commissioned as an ensign on 26 October 1939. He joined Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6) aboard aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) on 13 December 1939 and a year later was promoted to lieutenant, junior grade.
Piloting a Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bomber on 4 June 1942, Thomas gave his life in his squadron’s attack during the Battle of Midway.
Awards
Thomas was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism and courage in combat at Midway.
Namesake
The name Lloyd Thomas was assigned first to the destroyer escort USS Lloyd Thomas (DE-312) and then to the destroyer escort USS Lloyd Thomas (DE-374), but both were canceled in 1944 before their construction was complete. In 1945, the destroyer USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764), in commission from 1947 to 1972, was named in his honor.