29-Jun-1920 to 2-Jan-2018
Thomas Ellis, was born in San Antonio on June 29, 1920 as the oldest of four children. He graduated from the Phyllis Wheatley High School in 1936 at the age of 15, and entered Sam Houston College in Austin, Texas.
In June 1942, after being married for only six months, Mr.Ellis was drafted into the Army. Following basic training at Camp Lee, Virginia, Mr. Ellis was transferred to the Army Air Corps.On completion of the Administrative Clerk training program in October 1942, Mr. Ellis was reassigned to Tuskegee Army Air Field as the only enlisted member in the Orderly Room (Admin Office) of the newly activated 301st Fighter Squadron. He participated in the 332nd Fighter Group transfer to Taranto, Italy under (then) Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., and moves to Salerno, Montecorvino, Anzio, Foggia, Naples and Rome, being awarded seven Battle Stars before his discharge as a Sergeant Major in September 1945.
Following his discharge, Mr. Ellis returned to San Antonio, serving as a mail carrier in a career spanning 35 years. Mr. Ellis’ early love of music was shown in starting and leading the “Tom Ellis Jazz Quintet” playing in the San Antonio area for over 25 years.
Mr. Ellis and his wife of over 60 years, Janie, lived in San Antonio.
