Thomas James Whalen Jr., was born on November 29, 1892 in Rock Springs, Wyoming. He was the son of Henry & Sarah Johnson, English immigrants. Henry was killed in a coal mining accident, leaving his widow and two children. Thomas was born a few months after his father's death, and his mother remarried to Thomas James Whalen, who apparently adopted Thomas. Thomas had 2 full-siblings, Nellie and Harry/Henry, and a half-sibling, Abbie.

In 1917, at the time of filling out his WWI Draft Registration card, Thomas was working as a "Rock Road Fireman," in a station between Rock Springs & Superior, Wyoming.

He was sent to France, and served as a Private in Company C, 3rd Machine Gun Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. He was wounded at Cantigny on May 29, 1918 and died the following day.

As was the usual for those who fell in WWI, he was originally buried near the battlefield. His body was returned to the United States and he is buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Denver Co., Colorado, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com