John Thomason (DD 760) - Naval Cruise Book

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CAPTAIN' S MESSAGE TO THE CREW OF USS JOHN W. THOMASON CDD 76052 lt has been through the spirit ol: enthusiasm., cheerlulness and cooperation ol: all hands that we have enloyed such a highly successful WESTPAC deployment. The long hours that everyone spent at their general quarters stations during the many days ot Naval Gunfire Support will long be remembered by me. All ol: you can be 'proud ot the JOHN W. THOMASON in our support ot the war ettort in South Viet Nam. The untiring energy, ability and devotion to duty exhibited by every man in the crew was an inspiration to me. Your personal ettorts have brought credit upon the ship and to the U. S. Navy. lt has been a wonderful cruise tor all of us and l am sure you will always remember it, especially when you loolc at this boolc in future years. J. A. CHRISTENSEN 2

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THE NAME USS JOHN W. THOMASON CDD-760D is Jr., United States Marine Corps. Colonel Thomason was born on 28 February 1893 in Huntsville, Texas. He was educated in Huntsville schools and was graduated from the San Houston Normal lnstitute there in 1911. He also studied at the University ol: Texas and the Art Students League ot New Yorlc. He commenced his career as a writer with the Editorial Department ot the Houston Chronicle and ioined the Marine Corps i , A if ' Branch ot the Texas Naval Militia in April 1917. Called to active dutyisoonuxaliterward, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps 29 August. 1917 and went overseas to serve with the Famous F-ilith Marine Regiment the Following April. A He was awarded the Navy. Cross For extraordinary heroism in the battle ot Soissons, 18 July 1918. He advanced with one ot his men on an enemy machine gun nest from a lilanlc aliter his company was held up by heavy casualties From violent automatic fire. With great gallantry, he and the gunnery sergent who accompanied him, captured the nest containing two heavy machine guns, and killed the crew ot thirteen Germans, For the same act ol: heroism, he was later presented the Silver Star Medal by the Army. Atter world war 1, Thomason served in Cuba, at various posts in the United States, in USS ROCHESTER, in Nicaragua and in China. He reported to the Navy Department tor duty in Operations in June 1940. While in this duty as a representative ot the United States Navy, Colonel Thomason participated in aerial flights trom August to November 1941, charting new airways and surveying and recommending sites as potential airtields in the countries ot Central and South America. For this service he was awared the Air Medal. During World War H, he served in the Office lol: Naval lntelligence, as an inspector on Admiral Nimitz, statt in the South Pacific, and as an instructor in the Troop Training Unit, Coronado, 'Calil:ornia. Here fatal illness struclc him on 12 March 1944. 4 named in honor ot Colonel John William Thomason,