2nd. Lt. William H. Thomas - Co-Pilot of B-24 bomber Harmful Lil Armful

William H. Thomas was born on January 8, 1919, in Oil City, Pennsylvania. He attended elementary schools in Oil City, then moved to Ambridge with his father, where he graduated from high school in June 1939. He then returned to Oil City and worked for about a year for the American Optical Company.

William enlisted in the U.S. Army on October 9, 1939. He was promoted to Sergeant in January 1941 while stationed at Langley Field, Virginia. He later became a Staff Sergeant before entering the Aviation Cadet Program in October 1942. He graduated as a Second Lieutenant in July 1943 and served under the service number O-751490. On September 9, 1943, he was stationed at Wendover Air Force Base in Utah, attached to the 715th Bomb Squadron of the 448th Bomb Group. On September 20, 1943, he was stationed at AAB Sioux City Air Force Base in Iowa. On November 5, 1943, he was stationed at Herington Air Force Base in Kansas. He married Genevieve Madge George on August 1, 1945, with whom he had two children: Susan K. Thomas and Karen I. Thomas. After his career as a pilot, he trained in intelligence as a specialist in interpreting aerial photographs. He retired from the Air Force on June 20, 1964. Following his departure from the U.S. Air Force, he worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).

William H. Thomas died on May 10, 2007 in the town of Blacksburg, located in Virginia.