Wayne Thomas
Tomb Position
SentinelTomb Relief
2ndHighest Military Rank
SPCTomb Dates
Jun 1957 - May 1958Society Membership
MemberHome City / State
Decorah, IACurrent City / State
Decorah, IAObituary
Wayne Lyle Thomas was born February 11, 1938 in LaCrosse WI to Lyle and Evelyn (Pilgrim) Lenth. He was educated in the Decorah school system, and went on to serve in the U. S. Army from 1956 – 1958 as a Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington Virginia. He was married to Sandra Peters on May 30, 1965, and later divorced. To this union, one son was born, Mark Thomas. Wayne spent the majority of his banking career at Decorah Bank & Trust Company, retiring in 2000, after working there thirty-seven years. He enjoyed his years of retirement by fishing and mushroom hunting.
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Units & Campaigns
3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
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Did you know?
Do you guard in a blizzard or a bad thunderstorm?
YES, but the accomplishment of the mission and welfare of the Soldier are never put at risk. The Tomb Guards have contingencies that are ready to be executed if the weather conditions ever place the Soldiers at risk of injury or death (i.e. lightning, high winds, etc). This ensures that Sentinels can continue the mission while ensuring safety. It is the responsibility of the Chain of Command from the Sergeant of the Guard to the Regimental Commander to ensure mission accomplishment and soldier welfare at all times.
It was erroneously reported that during Hurricane Isabel, the Sentinels were ordered to abandon their posts for shelter and that they refused. No such order was ever given. All proper precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the Sentinels while accomplishing their mission. Risk assessments are constantly conducted by the Chain of Command during changing conditions to ensure that soldier welfare is maintained during mission accomplishment.
