Hometown: Sevierville, TN
Branch: U.S. Army 
Unit: 278th Regimental Combat Team, Troop G, 2nd Squadron, Greeneville, Tennessee
Military Honors: Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Date of Sacrifice: March 20, 2005 - KIA near Kirkuk, At-Ta’mim Province, Iraq
Age: 37
Conflict: Iraq War, 2003-2011

Paul Thomason III was born on October 21, 1967, and grew up in Sevierville, Tennessee—30 miles east of Knoxville—with his brother Jason and sisters Christal and April. Their father, Paul Jr., worked in a factory while their mother Gayle worked for the Sevier County Sheriff’s office.

Paul III preferred solitary pursuits like reading and fishing. He graduated from Sevier County High School with the class of 1986 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. After three years of service, Paul returned home to work and raise a family.

On March 18, 2000, Thomason married Amanda Latham, also of Sevierville. The two eventually moved 30 miles north to Talbott, Tennessee, where they raised a blended family of four children: Asher, Megan, Piper, and Cora.

In an interview with The Knoxville News-Sentinel, daughter Megan remembers her father building her a dollhouse. His wife Amanda mentioned, “I have a picture of him with kiddie earrings and necklaces on, having tea with the girls.” Paul’s “boy time” with son Asher included trips to Home Depot or Lowe’s. The family also recalls that Paul “knew his way around the kitchen,” enlisting the children as his helpers.

Thomason provided for his family by working in the warehouse at the Ampad envelope factory in nearby Morristown.

Motivated to serve his country by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Thomason enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2003. He trained with the 278th Regimental Combat Team based in Greeneville, Tennessee.

Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, the 278th—also known as the “Tennessee Cavalry”—can trace its history to before the American Revolution, when volunteer militias formed throughout northeastern Tennessee to protect settlers from Creek and Cherokee raids.

Another claim to fame for the 278th is being the inspiration for the “Tennessee Volunteers” nickname—still used by the University of Tennessee. According to the Tennessee Department of Military:

In 1846, a call went out for 2,800 volunteers from the State of Tennessee to take part in the War with Mexico. 38,000 Tennesseans answered the call earning the Tennessee Militia the ever-lasting nickname of “Volunteers.” Because there were so many volunteers willing to fight, a special lottery was held to select those men who would be allowed to fight. From this heritage, the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment’s motto “I Volunteer Sir” was derived.

On Father’s Day, 2004, Thomason left with his National Guard unit for training at Camp Shelby, outside of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Thomason family celebrated Christmas early that year, gathering in October before the 3,200 soldiers of the 278th Regimental Combat Team were deployed to Iraq, for a year-long tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During Thomason’s deployment, Amanda recounts that whenever she asked what they could send him, Paul always replied, “Send candy!” A father of four, he had a heart for the local children in Iraq. They referred to him as “The Candy Man,” and he loved to tease them—even convincing them that Bigfoot is real.

Three months after arriving in Iraq, on March 20, 2005, Spc. Thomason was lost when his military vehicle hit by a roadside bomb near Kirkuk. He was 37 years old.

He and Amanda had celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary, apart, two days earlier.

Spc. Paul W. Thomason III was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant and awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals. He was laid to rest near his hometown, with full military honors.

His name is also inscribed at the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville (Pillar XXV, Top Panel).

A letter from Thomason arrived at Jefferson Elementary School in Jefferson City, Tennessee, a day after he was killed. The second-grade class had been sending him care packages while he was deployed. “I was sure glad to get everyone’s letters and colorings,” he wrote. “There are no camels this far north... I had my first Whopper in months! It was sure good compared to Army food and field rations.”

Sources
Details provided by Amanda Thomason, Sgt. Thomason’s Gold Star Wife.
Elizabethton Star, March 29, 2005: Member of 278th killed in Iraq returning to Tennessee
The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Mar. 30, 2005: Fallen soldier makes last trip home to family
The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Jan. 7, 2006: Memories of late soldier burn brightly
The Journal News, Apr. 22, 2005: Roll of Honor—Army Sgt. Paul W. Thomason III, 37, Talbot, Tenn.
Military Times—Honor the Fallen: Army Sgt. Paul W. Thomason III
East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association: Paul W. Thomasson III
Syracuse Post Standard, Mar. 22, 2005, via Legacy.com: Sgt. Paul W. Thomason
Burial Site: Find a Grave