“My Dad had been in the Navy, my Grandfather had been in the Navy, my brothers had been in the military. I was ready to go in.”
Petty Officer First Class James P. Thomas, USNR
The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the January 2016 story of the month has been selected to honor the service of Petty Officer First Class James P. Thomas. Upon completion of his naval service, Thomas would retire from the United States Air Force as a Major. Petty Officer Thomas was interviewed by the United States Navy Stories of Service Program at the Swift Boat Sailors Association Reunion in Washington D.C.
When discussing his decision to join the Navy, Thomas shared, “My Dad had been in the Navy, my Grandfather had been in the Navy, my brothers had been in the military. I was 
ready to go in. For me it was a chance to do something that I found interesting to leave the house and see the world.” Thomas joined the Naval Reserves as a junior in High School and upon graduation, was sent to basic training and then Radar A School.
His first ship was the USS Savage DER 386 which was tasked with interdiction operations off the coast of Vietnam. Thomas remarked, "we were assigned to Operation Market Time and to help stop the flow of arms and supplies into Vietnam from the North."
It was on the Savage that Petty Officer Thomas learned of Swift Boats. After witnessing the Swift Boats, he would volunteer for small boat service. Upon graduating from training in Coronado Petty Officer Thomas was assigned to the Swift Boat PCF 10. Petty Officer Thomas shared remarkable accounts of his Vietnam War memories on PCF 10, PCF 73 and 
PCF 43. The Petty Officer would not only serve with distinction in the United States Navy but also serve in the United States Air Force and retire as a Major. His total years of service spanned 26 years during the Vietnam and Cold War Era.
The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program honors Petty Officer First Class James P. Thomas, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial Tales from the Navy Log archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at http://navylog.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service
To view this interview please visit the Vietnam Era Swift Boat Reunion Collection on the stories of service page.