THOMAS, VERN W.

PHOENIX, Jan. 8. (U.P.)—The Silver Star Medal will be presented Thursday to Mr. and Mrs. Dorman Thomas, Cottonwood, parents of a Marine hero killed in action [May 20, 1945] on Okinawa.

The tribute to Pfc. Vern W. Thomas was awarded for “his fearless and unwavering devotion to duty in moving forward voluntarily to assist a wounded comrade under heavy Japanese machine-gun fire.”