World War II Honoree

Thomas H. Newman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Southwest Harbor, Maine

Honored By

Nathaniel R. Fenton

AFTER BEING REJECTED BY THE NAVY DUE TO COLOR BLINDNESS, HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY IN THE SUMMER OF 1944. HE WAS SENT TO CAMP BLANDING. HE CROSSED THE ATLANTIC ON THE QUEEN MARY DISEMBARKING AT LE HAVRE ON JANUARY 6, 1945. AFTER A JEEP RIDE ACROSS FRANCE INTO LUXEMBOURG, HE JOINED THE 76TH INFANTRY DIVISION, 417TH INFANTRY, SECOND BATTALION IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. THE NEXT MORNING, AT 4 A.M., HIS DIVISION ATTACKED. WITH THE HELP OF HIS SERGEANT, HE SURVIVED HIS FIRST COMBAT ACTION. 10 DAYS LATER, HE WAS MADE FIRST SCOUT. HE PROCEEDED TO WALK 400 MILES ACROSS EUROPE INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA, SURVIVING BEING BLOWN OFF A BRIDGE INTO THE RIVER, NUMEROUS OTHER RIVER CROSSINGS, AND THE BATTLE AGAINST AN SS TROOP TRAINING ACADEMY WHERE THE GERMANS FOUGHT TO THE LAST MAN. HE ENTERED THE BUCHENWALD CONCENTRATION CAMP SEVERAL HOURS AFTER ITS LIBERATION. AFTER V-E DAY, HIS OUTFIT WAS CHOSEN TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS, BUT THE WAR ENDED AS THEY WERE EN ROUTE TO THE U.S., ONCE AGAIN ONBOARD THE QUEEN MARY. HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR AND THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE.