East Texas veteran who received Purple Heart award, asks for birthday cards
Posted/updated on: July 7, 2022 at 7:26 am
TYLER – The Texas Veterans Land Board is encouraging the community to help make an East Texas veteran’s upcoming birthday extra special. Archie Thomas will be turning 100-years-old on July 13. According to our news partner KETK, he is a World War II veteran after serving as an Army Sgt. said VLB Chairman George P. Bush. “I would truly enjoy receiving 100 birthday cards for my 100th birthday,” said Thomas. He currently lives at the Watkins-Logan Texas State Veterans Home in Tyler. The veteran was born in Hearne, Texas and served in the Army Air Corps from Sept. 1942 until July 1945. When Thomas was 22-years-old, his aircraft was shot down in Germany in April of 1944. Thomas survived the crash, but nine other service members on his crew did not.
He was also a prisoner of war for thirteen months in Austria. Thomas was later honored with the Prisoner of War Medal and Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is usually awarded by the President of the United States to Armed Forces members who were wounded or killed by enemy action, according to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. If people would like to send birthday cards to Thomas they can send them to the Watkins-Logan Home.
The cards can be addressed to:
Archie Thomas
11466 Honor Lane
Tyler, Texas 75708
