Joseph Alvin (Von) THOMAS

(b. 28 March 1921 , Leominster, Massachusetts, USA d. 19 July 1998 , Daytona Beach, Florida, USA )

Am I Your Ancestor?
THOMAS Family Tree – Connecting the Past to the Present!

What started out as our family is now your’s too!

Joseph Alvin (Von) THOMAS was born 28 March 1921 in Leominster, Massachusetts, USA

Joseph Alvin (Von) THOMAS was the child of Joseph Zabulin THOMAS and Marie Julie HALL and the grandchild of: (paternal) Louis Prudent THOMAS and Olive SAULNIER (SONIER) (maternal) Alexandre HALL and Marie Susanne BRIDEAU

Joseph Alvin (Von) was a soldier in World War II.

Tracing Ancestors Through Military Service Records: Unveiling Family Heroes

Joseph Alvin (Von) THOMAS died 19 July 1998 in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA.
Details of the family tree of Joseph appear below.

Operation Underworld: How the Mafia and U.S. Government Teamed Up to Win World War II

World War II: The Definitive Visual History from Blitzkrieg to the Atom Bomb

Honoring WWII Heroes Ceramic Coffee Mug – World War II Veteran Tribute Gift

Crafted from durable ceramic, this mug is perfect for morning coffee, evening tea, or thoughtful reflection. The dignified 'Honoring WWII Heroes' caption makes it an especially meaningful gift for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, or as a keepsake for those with a personal connection to World War II history.

A Glimpse into the Everyday Life of the Average American Man in the Mid-1900s

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Discovering the Ancestry of Joseph Alvin (Von) THOMAS: Events, Photos & Historical Records

1921 Birth
28 March 1921
Leominster, Massachusetts, USA

1923 to 1927 - Television is invented (Vladimir Kosma Zworykin (Russia), Philo Taylor Farnsworth (United States))

1923 - Calvin Coolidge becomes President of the United States

1927 - The aerosol can is invented (Erik Rotheim, Norway)

1927 - April 7 – Bell Telephone Co. transmits an image of Herbert Hoover (then the Secretary of Commerce), which becomes the first successful long distance demonstration of television

1928 - Sliced bread (bread slicing machine) is invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder (United States)

1929 - Herbert Hoover becomes President of the United States

1929 - October 29 - Black Tuesday - Stock market crash - The Great Depression Begins - It lasted until 1941 (WW2)

1930 - Scotch tape is invented (Richard Drew (3M), United States)

In 1930, on February 18, Pluto was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, marking a significant milestone in the study of our solar system.

1931 - The paper towel is invented (Arthur Scott, United States)

1931 - March 3 – The Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as the United States National anthem.

1933 - Franklin D. Roosevelt becomes President of the United States

1933 - December 5 – The 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed, repealing Prohibition

1934 - The metal beverage can is invented (American Can Co., United States)

1935 - The snowmobile was invented by Joseph Bombardier (Quebec, Canada)

1935 - August 14 – United States President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law

1938 - The ballpoint pen is invented (Lazlo Biro, Hungary)

1938-1944 - Sunscreen is invented (Franz Greiter, Switzerland and Benjamin Green, United States)

1938 - October 27 - Du Pont announces a name for its new synthetic yarn: nylon.

1940 Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts
Name: Alvin Thomas
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Ward 2, Fitchburg, Fitchburg City, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Marital Status: Single
Race (Original): White
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Birth Year (Estimated): 1921
Last Place of Residence: Same Place
District: 14-77
Family Number: 36
Sheet Number and Letter: 2B
Line Number: 66
Affiliate Publication Number: T627
Affiliate Film Number: 1647
Digital Folder Number: 005460919
Image Number: 00413
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Joseph Z Thomas M 49 Canada
Wife Julia Thomas F 45 Canada
Son Frank J Thomas M 22 Canada
Son Lazare G Thomas M 21 Canada
Son Gilbert Thomas M 20 Canada
Son Alvin Thomas M 19 Massachusetts
Son Leo G Thomas M 17 Massachusetts
Son Arthur Thomas M 15 Massachusetts
Daughter Anna M...Read MORE...

1940 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1940 - April - 1st electron microscope demonstrated (RCA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

1941 - December 8 - (the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor) United States declares war on Japan (WW2)

1942 Army Enlistment
Name: Alvin J Thomas
Birth Year: 1921
Race: White, Citizen (White)
Nativity State or Country: Massachusetts
State of Residence: Massachusetts
County or City: Worcester

Enlistment Date: 2 Oct 1942
Enlistment State: Massachusetts
Enlistment City: Fort Devens
Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Branch Code: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Grade: Private
Grade Code: Private
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source: Civil Life

Education: Grammar school
Civil Occupation: Unskilled occupations in manufacture of textiles, n.e.c.
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Height: 71
Weight: 145
World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II

1943 photo from newspaper (unknown)
Thanks to Deb Thomas Sheldon

1944 - D-Day, which occurred on June 6, 1944, was a pivotal World War II operation where Allied forces launched a massive invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France. Known as Operation Overlord, it involved over 156,000 troops from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other Allied nations. The operation aimed to liberate Western Europe from Nazi German control. The landings marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany, leading to the eventual Allied victory in Europe.

1945 - The atomic bomb is invented (J. Robert Oppenheimer, et al., United States)

The microwave oven was invented accidentally in 1945 by Percy Spencer, a Raytheon engineer. While testing a magnetron, he noticed microwaves melted a candy bar in his pocket. Experimenting further, he discovered microwaves could cook food quickly. Raytheon patented the process, and by 1947, they built the first commercial microwave oven, called the 'Radarange.' Initially used in commercial settings, microwaves becomes affordable for home use by the 1960s and 1970s, revolutionizing cooking.

1945 - Harry S. Truman becomes President of the United States

1945 - On September 2, 1945, World War II officially ended with the formal surrender of Japan. The surrender ceremony took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where Japanese officials signed the Instrument of Surrender in the presence of Allied representatives, including General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz.

Joseph Alvin (Von) THOMAS - 1946 Honorable Discharge

1946 Honorable Discharge

Thanks to Deb Thomas Sheldon

1948 - Velcro is invented (George de Mestral, Switzerland)

1950 - June 25 - Korean War begins when North Korean forces invade South Korea.

1953 - Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States

1953 - On July 27, 1953, the Korean War ended with the signing of an armistice agreement at Panmunjom. This ceasefire halted the conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, backed by United Nations forces primarily from the United States. The agreement established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the 38th parallel, effectively maintaining the pre-war boundary and creating a buffer zone between the two Koreas.

1961 - John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States

1961 - Vietnam War officially begins with 900 military advisors landing in Saigon.

1962 - The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the U.S. coast. The crisis is considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. It began when American spy planes discovered the missiles, leading to a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba and intense negotiations. The crisis ended when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba and secretly agreeing to remove American missiles from Turkey.

1963 - I Have a Dream Speech - Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963.

In 1963, on November 22, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The assassination shocked the nation and the world, leading to widespread mourning and a period of intense national introspection. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States shortly after Kennedy's death. The assassination sparked numerous conspiracy theories and investigations, with the Warren Commission ultimately concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination. Kennedy's death had a profound impact on American politics and society, marking the end of an era often referred to as 'Camelot.'

1968 - The ATM is invented (Don Wetzel, United States)

1969 - Richard M. Nixon becomes President of the United States

1969 - July 20 - Apollo 11 - Man lands on the moon

June 17, 1972 – August 9, 1974 - Watergate Scandal began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972. Members of President Richard Nixon's administration attempted to cover up their involvement. The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by the Nixon administration, the resignation of President Nixon in 1974, and the indictment of several administration officials.

1973 - January 22 - Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 and Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179: The U.S. Supreme Court declares that the Constitution protects women’s right to terminate an early pregnancy, thus making abortion legal in the U.S.

1973 - March 29 - The last United States soldier leaves Vietnam

The cell phone was invented by Martin Cooper of Motorola. On April 3, 1973, he made the first handheld mobile phone call with the Motorola DynaTAC. This device weighed 2.5 pounds and was 10 inches long, offering 30 minutes of talk time and requiring 10 hours to charge. The first commercial cell phone was released in 1983, revolutionizing communication and leading to the modern smartphones we use today.

1974 - Gerald R. Ford becomes President of the United States after the resignation of Richard Nixon.

1977 - Jimmy Carter becomes President of the United States

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State occurred on May 18, triggered by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake. It caused the largest landslide in recorded history, followed by a massive lateral blast. The eruption killed 57 people, destroyed 250 homes, and spread ash across the U.S.

1981 - Ronald Reagan becomes President of the United States

1981 - June 5 - First reported case of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

1982 - The camcorder is invented (Sony Corp., Japan)

1983 - The laptop computer is invented (Radio Shack Corp., United States)

1986 - January 28 - Space Shuttle Challenger accident - The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members.

1989 - The World Wide Web is invented at CERN (Tim Berners-Lee, UK)

1989 - George H. W. Bush becomes President of the United States

1993 - William J. Clinton becomes President of the United States