Captain Thomas distinguished his career by being the first Naval Aviator to become qualified in the British built V/STOL (vertical and short take off and landing) “Harrier” when the aircraft was just beginning its production. He ensured an Anglo-American development and acquisition for the US Marines while origination a naval application in the Sea Control Ship. His first hand experience and friendship with the Chief Design Engineer, John Fozard, led to improvements that were incorporated in Harrier II.
His legacy lingers in the successful use of the airplane. US Army General Norman Schwarzkopf named the USMC Harrier as one of the seven most important weapons of the Gulf War. The aircraft took part in combat during the Iraq War beginning in 2003. The Harrier II has served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan since 2001, and was used in Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya in 2011.
Captain Thomas was noted throughout his career as a problem solver and innovator. In his first fleet assignment, Fighter Squadron Eighty One, he invented “phased maintenance” for the F7U-3 “Cutlass” that improved the availability of the airplane by nearly 25 percent. He correctly identified the shortcomings of the Essex Class carriers to handle the ‘Cutlass” and was responsible for their being shore based.
During his tour in the training command, Captain Thomas originated a high angle of attack maximum performance maneuver that instilled confidence in the students resulting in markedly better performance.
Captain Thomas was a key member in the evaluation of the T2 and flew the motion picture carrier landing Jam Handy film making the first T2 catapult and arrested landings.
While the Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer on the USS Independence, the Air Department won the Atlantic Fleet “E”. The changes he made in rigging a barricade set the fleet record.
When Operations Officer of the Fleet Replacement Training Squadron, VA-44, at NAS Cecil Field, Captain Thomas rewrote the syllabus to place more emphasis on conventional weapons, began night Field Carrier Landing Practice, tightened the daily schedule and reduced a seven day work week to five. He was given a spot promotion to the rank of Commander.
Captain Thomas thinks his greatest achievement was leading an A4F squadron in combat operations off of Vietnam without any casualties. His squadron won the “E” and the Arliegh Burke Trophy.