Thomas H. Gilliam collection

Thomas H. Gilliam was born in December 11, 1920. Before the war, Gilliam lived in Hagestown, Maryland. He quit school after the sixth grade to pick green beans and take other jobs to help his family during the Great Depression. He eventually goined the Civilian Conservation Corps at the age of 16 in Frederick County, Maryland. At 18, he stocked shelves at a grocery store in Hagerstown. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at 19 in 1940 and chose to go to Hawaii out of a personal desire to visit. Gilliam was placed at the Schofield Barracks at Fort Kameh-ameha and was there during the attack on Pearl Harbor. His brother, Earl Gilliam, was stationed at an air base near Pearl Harbor and survived the attack as well. During the bombing, Gilliam was at first unconcerned and did not realize it was an attack. He then treated men injured during the attack. He was then stationed at various radar sites throughout the islands of Hawaii to assist with medical needs of those stationed their, including dental work in 1944-1945. During his time working with radar units, he also oversaw women working with the Army. Gilliam left the army as a Sergeant with the Medical Corps in October 1945. He then returned home to Maryland where he met his wife, Helen, and worked several jobs before retiring after a career with Mack Trucks. After the war, he attended several reunions and visited memorial sites. This information was partially collected from an interview given by Gilliam to the Friends of the National WWII Memorial, available at https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/voices/thomas-gilliam/.