Thomas R. Riggles Sr.

Thomas was born November 8, 1923, in Washington D.C., to the late William Marshall Riggles and Margaret (Evans Riggles) Gresh. He was raised in Seabrook, Maryland and as a teenager worked on the assembly line of the Martin aircraft plant, which produced B-26 “Baltimore” bomber aircraft for export to the British Royal Air Force. On November 18, 1942, at the age of 19, he enlisted in the US Army Air Force in Baltimore, Maryland as an Aviation Cadet.

Thomas attended Primary Flight Training in Jackson, Tennessee and Basic Flight Training at Newport AAF, Arkansas prior to graduating from Advanced Flight Training with Class SE-44-C at Blytheville AAF, Arkansas in March of 1944. He was then assigned to the crew of Lt. Alvin Berthelson, with whom he trained as co-pilot on the Consolidated B-24J “Liberator” bomber at Biggs, AAF in El Paso, Texas.

In August of 1944, Thomas and the Berthelsen crew joined the war in Europe as a members of the 566th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bomb Group (Heavy) stationed at Hethel, England. They were assigned their own B-24J bomber which they nick-named “Lonie Mac.” Between August 1944 and January 1945, Thomas served on thirty-one aerial combat missions throughout the European Theatre of Operations and was awarded the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters.

On January 28, 1945, Thomas embarked on his 31st and final mission in a borrowed B-24 bearing the name “Miss America” carrying a crew of eleven airmen. Flying at an altitude of 25,000 feet, and just moments after releasing their bombs over an industrial target in Dortmund, Germany, their aircraft was hit by a burst of anti-aircraft artillery. The left wing folded into the tail section, sending their aircraft spiraling out of control. Thomas and five others managed to parachute clear of the falling wreckage but were immediately captured and imprisoned by the German military. The other five crewmembers were listed as killed in action. He was initially held at Stalag XIIId in Nurnberg, but was soon transferred to the overcrowded Stalag VIIa in Moosberg. Thomas was liberated by General Patton’s 14th Armored Division on April 29, 1945, along with the camp’s some 27,000 other allied prisoners of war.

After WWII, Thomas logged extensive flight time in the North American B-25 “Mitchell” twin-engine bomber and enjoyed a brief stint as co-pilot on the B-29 “Super Fortress.” In 1948, he married Marian Stephens and continued to serve in the United States Air Force through the Korean War with later assignments in Japan and England. On February 28, 1963, while stationed at Laredo AFB, Texas, he was honorably discharged and retired at the rank of Major.

Thomas pursued subsequent careers with Prudential Insurance Co., Austin Mortgage and Trust and the FAA before settling in with the IRS where he worked as a Tax Examiner and retired in 1982. He was an avid aviation and war-bird enthusiast and a life member of the Commemorative Air Force. He enjoyed attending air shows and the fellowship of those from his generation who had endured similar hardships as well as sharing his passion for aviation and pride in serving his country. Thomas was also a life member of the Military Officers Association, National Association for Uniformed Services and the 2nd Air Division Association.

Thomas is preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Linda Elaine (1965), and brother William Marshall Riggles, Jr. (2009). He is survived by his sister-in-law, Shirley Riggles of Abbeville, South Carolina; his sister, Margaret Barry and husband Joe of Pasadena, Maryland; his daughter, Carole Moreno of San Antonio, Texas; his daughter, Deborah Flados and husband Mark of Austin, Texas; his son, Thomas Riggles, Jr. and wife Teresa of Austin, Texas; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 12-1 pm on Sunday, March 1, 2015, at the Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills, 9700 Anderson Mill Rd, Austin, Texas, with a Celebration of Life service at 1 pm, followed by burial at Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Air Force Aid Society.