Thomas H. Wright – Colonel, United States Army

From a contemporary new report

Thomas H. Wright, 86, a retired Army colonel who had lived at the Army Distaff Foundation’s Knollwood Retirement Community in Washington since 1992, died March 6, 1998 at Walter Reed Army Hospital after a heart attack.

At Knollwood, he had been volunteer resident in charge of its convenience store. He was a member of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington and served with its Mighty Men of Metropolitan. He also belonged to the Georgetown Kiwanis Club.

Colonel Wright was an Illinois native and an honors graduate of Wiberforce University. He served in the Ohio National Guard before he was called to active duty in 1940. During World War II, he served in the Mediterranean theater with the 92nd Infantry Division.

After a brief period in civilian life in Ohio, he returned to the Army. He served in Korea as a military adviser in the mid-1950s. He later held a variety of ROTC posts before retiring as a colonel with two Bronze Stars, two Army Commendation Medals and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

He lived in Massachusetts and Ohio before moving to the Washington area.

His wife of 52 years, the former Hallie Belle Douglas, died in 1994. Survivors include a son, Thomas Jr., of Jefferson, Md.; and a sister, Evelyn Mae Jackson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

WRIGHT, THOMAS H.

Entered into Eternal Rest on Friday, March 6, 1998, husband of the late Hallie B. Wright. He is survived by his son, LTC Thomas H. Wright, Jr.; one sister, Evelyn Mae Jackson; daughter-in-law, Diane H. Messer; other loving relatives and friends. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 18, family will receive friends at the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, 1518 M St., NW, where services will be held on Thursday, March 19 at 12 Noon. Rev. Louis-Charles Harvey, Pastor. Interment Arlington National Cemetery at 3 p.m., with Full Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, make donations to Kiwanis International Foundation, 3636 Woodview Trace, Indianapolis, IN 46268; or the Army Distaff Foundation, 6200 Oregon Ave., NW, Ste. 170, Washington, DC 20015.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard