Thomas was born in Bossier Parish as one of four children to Almas Lee Wilson and Alva Chandler Wilson. His father was a fireman and engineer for Texas and Pacific Railroad. The family lived on Emory Street throughout most of his childhood in Shreveport, before moving over to Merwin Street. As a youngster each morning before school, Thomas worked on a delivery wagon for Jersey Gold Milk Company. He also delivered ice, mowed yards, and worked at Big Chain, a grocery store. He attended Fair Park High School, but left early for trade school, where he earned a certificate in airplane mechanics. He was working for Libbey-Owens-Ford when he was drafted. Entering service on April 18, 1945, he was sent to Fort Riley in Kansas where he joined the 6^th Cavalry. In part of his training he rode a horse named Midnight and led a mule that packed a 30-caliber machine gun. He shipped out to France as a reconnaissance car commander in Troop C, 6^th Constabulary Squadron, arriving in early summer of 1945. Thomas was sent on to Germany where he helped round up former SS soldiers. He made his rounds with two other soldiers in a jeep he drove. He sailed home and was discharged as a corporal on November 11, 1946 at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. On December 31, 1947 he married Marjorie Jackson. (They would have two children.) Thomas returned to work as an electrician at Libbey-Owens Ford until the plant closed in 1971. Afterward, he worked as an electrician for the water department, retiring at age sixty-two. Majorie passed away on February 6, 2007.