I am married to Patricia Genter Thomas (Central High 1956) and we have a son & 2 daughters, 5 g-children & 4 gg-child. My wife & I were married on August 30,1957. Before going to college I was in the Army for 3 years…..then Combustion Engineering for 5 years…..then to University of Chattanooga for 2 years, then to Samford University, Birmingham, AL, for 3 years graduating with a degree in Pharmacy. Then to Rhyne Pharmacy, Rossville, Ga -then to Cole Drug bought by Revco Drug bought by CVS Pharmacy…..Campbell Clinic Pharmacy bought by Medical Park Hospital…..Memorial Hospital Pharmacy…..Parkwood Nursing Pharmacy…..Valley Psychiatric Hospital….K-Mart Pharmacy…..Georgia State Board of Pharmacy, Atlanta, Ga…..All jobs were in Chattanooga, TN, except for Rhyne Pharmacy in Rossville, Ga and Georgia State Board of Pharmacy in Atlanta, GA. In Febuary of 2003 I retired from CVS Pharmacy after working as a pharmacist for 40 years. I was in the Army from Feb 1954 till 2-27-57. Basic training at Ft Jackson, SC., advanced infantry training and Metorologist School at Ft Gordon, GA., and Airborne school at Ft Benning, Ga., all of the former was with the 101st Airborne Division then to Ft Lewis, Wash., then to Japan, where I was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery HQ HQ as a Metorologist (Some of our unit was stationed in Inchon, Korea and I was TWY to Inchon on two different occasions) -Camp Chitose, Hokkaido, to Camp Youngins, Honshu, to Camp Sindi, Honshu, to Camp Drake, Honshu. I was in Japan for 2 years except for two TDY tours to Inchon, Korea & a TDY to Okinawa. While in Japan I took 30 days vacation. Although I visited Kobe, Nagoya, Osake, Okinawa & Hiroshima in the south. My favorite place was in the north, which I visited twice, was Kegon Falls near the city of Nikko at the base of Mt Nantai and Lake Chuzhen. The city of Nikko was removed from the bombing maps of the US Air Force during WWII due to the many religious temples. Nikko & Kegon Falls is about 75 miles north of Tokyo and has many temples, shrines and a sacred bridge. A very beautiful area of Japan. In Feb of 1957 I returned to Ft Lawton, Wash and then to Ft Smith, AK., & then HOME to Chattanooga.
Gary Thomas, Sr., Class of 1953
Author: Bob Johnson
Graduated from Central in 1965. Had the honor of being Mr. Central 1965. Started on the Central Basketball Team for three years and was a member of the Track Team in my senior year. Shared command with Bryant Millsaps of the Central JROTC unit in my senior year. Other activites at Central are documented in the 1963 -1965 Champions. Received an athletic scholarship and played Division I College Basketball for four years. When I graduated from Auburn in 1969, I was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Adjutant General Corps and served 25 years on active duty, retiring in 1994. Some of the military awards I earned include the Legion of Merit, one Meritorious Service Medal for Achievement, six Meritorious Service Medals for Service, Joint Service Medal for Achievement, two Army Commendations Medals, and Viet Nam Service Medal. After retirement in 1994, I became a Real Estate Broker until my second retirement in 2010. I am passionate about Central History and am pleased to be Administrator of this Blog/Site. View All Posts
Preservation of Chattanooga Central History 