Remembering Charles Thomas today, who earned the Medal of Honor 78 years and 364 days ago, when he led a ferocious attack on entrenched German tanks despite being badly wounded by small arms fire. 

Thomas was commanding Company C, 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, when led his troops into Chimbach, France. Because he had limited enemy intel, Thomas led by example, riding at the head of his column in a lightly armored scout car.

Intense small arms fire knocked the M-20 scout car out of action, and Thomas was hit multiple times, in the arm, legs and chest. He stayed in the fight however, refusing medical aid until he had brought up his supporting Sherman tanks, directed the battle, outflanked the entrenched Germans, and turned command over to his executive officer. 

Thomas received the Distinguished Service Cross on February 20, 1945, but he downplayed his heroics, saying, “I know I was sent out to locate and draw the enemy fire, but I didn’t mean to draw that much.”

You can read a great overview on Charles Thomas here: https://www.docdroid.net/6BuhfUE/charles-lthomas-medal-of-honor-history-of-war-i54-2018-pdf

Charles Thomas stayed in the Army, retiring as a Major in 1947, after the War, dying in 1980 after raising two girls. In 1997, as part of a review of all African-American valor awards in World War II, his DSC was upgrade to the Medal of Honor. Please honor this great American!