|
||||
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Thaddeus E. Tomaszewski
|
My father's name was Thaddeus E. Tomaszewski (Ted). He arrived in the Philippines in June of 1936. On his arrival he was sent to Battery B, 60th Anti-Aircraft on Corregidor. Later he was transferred to Battery F as First Sergeant. He was promoted to this rank on July 1st, 1941. In May of 1942 he was captured and made a prisoner of war. After two years at Nichols Field, camp #2 he was sent on the Nissyo Maru to the island of Kyushu, the Fukuoka group of camps, Futase #7, where he worked in a Japanese coal mine. On August 18, 1945 he and a small group of prisoners liberated themselves and were back in American hands on September 12, 1945. He reached the States a month later and was sent to Vaughn General Hospital as a patient until December 8, 1945. He was then sent to Percy Jones General Hospital...remaining there until August 9, 1946. On the tenth of that same month he reenlisted and was sent to Fort Custer where he was made First Sergeant of the MP's. On December 2, 1947, he was transferred to Tilton where he was First Sergeant of the Annex Detachment. He met my mother, Phyllis Lorraine Batts while in Vaughn General Hospital. She had worked at the Briggs-Conner Manufacturing plant in Detroit, Michigan from 1942 until 1945. Briggs-Conner manufactured airplanes and my mother worked as a riveter. In 1945 after hearing of possible lay offs at the plant....my mother joined the army. While in the army she was trained to be a Medical Aide. That's how she met my father. My mother was discharged from the army in October of 1946 after serving 14 months. While stationed at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan.. my oldest brother John was born in August of 1947, my brother Terry was born while they were stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1948. My youngest brother Tim and I were born at Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington D.C. in 1950 and 1952. He was promoted from Master Sergeant to Chief Warren Officer 2 while he was with the 9901st TSU SGO Detachment Headquarters, Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. We were then transferred to Crailsheim, Germany. While we were in Germany my father was with the Medical Corp and was paymaster. He died on June 3rd, 1955 at the US Army Hospital, Bad Cannstatt in Germany at the age of 38. My father was a stocky man of average height. He had short-cut dark blonde hair and blue eyes. It's been said that he was very sharp and brusque in person and every bit a soldier. He was born on April 9th, 1917 in Chicago, Ill. In the early 1950's he change his last name to Tomas. His service number was RA 6 830 372. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, as is my mother. She died in June of 1994. With this above information and pictures it's my hope that someone will remember having served with my father. If you or someone you know has any information please feel free to call me at 408-779-2207 or e-mail me at judie@ix.netcom.com .
|
| Be
a part of the effort to build the Hellships Memorial! Your
tax-deductible
gift in any amount is appreciated and will be only used only in
the construction and maintenance of the Hellships Memorial. 
|
