Ira Elwood Thomas was born on April 1, 1923, in Mancelona, Antrim County, Michigan. He was the son of Elmer James Thomas and Sarah Lida Higgins Thomas. He enlisted in the service on March 10, 1943. He served in the 586th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomb Group, Medium, as a Sergeant and Radio Operator of B-26 Marauder #42-96042 during World War II.

On April 20, 1944, the B-26 Marauder, serial number 42-96042, took off from Station 161 Boreham Airfield, Essex, England, for a mission to strike a V-1 site near Beauvoir, in the Somme region of France. As the aircraft approached the target area, flying southeast of Frévent near Neuvillette, it encountered heavy German anti-aircraft fire (flak) around 19:50 hours. The aircraft sustained a violent direct hit near the cockpit, which likely incapacitated the pilots instantly. The bomber burst into intense flames, and witnesses reported that only two or three parachutes were seen. The aircraft ultimately crashed about 500 meters northeast of Neuvillette, approximately 9 km south-southeast of Frévent, in the Somme department (France). Of the six-man crew, only the co-pilot survived, captured and held as a prisoner of war. The remaining five airmen were killed in action.

Sgt Thomas is now buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay Township, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net