If you have any questions, additional biographical information, personal remembrances, or photographs you would like to contribute, please contact the History Project Manager via this Email Link

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They Say, our deaths are not ours, they are yours, they will mean what you make of them. They say, we leave you our deaths, give them some meaning. Archibald MacLeish poet and WWI veteran.

Click on individual ribbons and badges for criteria

Ribbons & Awards issued to this soldier by the State of South Carolina

Click on individual ribbons and badges for criteria

There is no contact information on file for the next of kin.
If you served with SFC Thomas and would like to post a remembrance, we invite you to use the Email Link above.

     SFC Matthew B. Thomas age 30, was a member of the 133rd MP Company "Palmetto Regulators", South Carolina National Guard (Timmonsville), attached subordinate to the HQ Detachment 720th MP Battalion, Afghanistan during 20011-2012. SFC Thomas was killed in action on 20 June 2012 when a suicide bomber detonated himself at their checkpoint in a market place in the city of Khost near the Pakistani border, and about 90 miles southeast of Kabul, the Afghan capital. Also killed in the attack were, SGT John David Meador, II and 1LT Ryan D. Rawl. Five other members of the MP Company and their Afghan interpreter were wounded .

     Born in Asheville, NC, a son of Charles "Bud" and Marsha Sarfine Thomas of Easley, Brad was a graduate of Travelers Rest High School and attended Greenville Technical College.

     Surviving, in addition to his parents, are his wife, Jana Hickey Thomas; a son, Cayden Thomas; brother, Scott Thomas of Simpsonville; two sisters, Kelli Townsley of Knoxville, TN, and Tia Thomas of Easley; and his parents-in-law, Wayne Hickey and Tami Howell, both of Easley, SC.

     Funeral services were held at Rock Springs Baptist Church with Rev. Andy Childs and Rev. Dr. David Gallamore officiating. SFC Thomas was interned with full military honors at Nine Forks Baptist Church Cemetery.