Thomas W. Stewart

HALIFAX Thomas W. Stewart, 83, of Halifax, passed from this life on Tuesday, June 9, 2009. He was born on November 30, 1925 in Boston to John and Euphemia Stewart, both immigrants of Scotland. Raised in Cambridge, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in early 1942 at 16 years of age. He served with Troop F of the 12th Calvary Regiment and was stationed along the Texas-Mexican Border before being sent to Australia to re-train as a Rifleman in the Infantry. Serving in World War II, he took part as a Rifleman in the campaigns against Japanese invaders in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Philippine Islands of Leyte and Luzon and the Occupation of Japan. He was awarded the following Decorations: The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart and The Combat Infantry Badge and with the following Campaign Medals: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four battle stars and an arrowhead, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with three battle stars, Army of Occupation Medal with the Japan Clasp and the Victory Medal. The Army unit he was with made the Beach-head landing on Leyte in the Philippine Islands and the Unit was chosen to re-take Manila on the island of Luzon by General Douglas MacArthur. Later, General MacArthur chose this Army Unit to be the first American Troops to enter Tokyo, Japan while the General was signing the Articles of Surrender by the Japanese aboard the Battleship "Missouri" in Tokyo Bay. The Army Unit was awarded the following: U.S. Presidential Unit Citation and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. After World War II, he attended a school for electronics and for 45 years was employed as an Electronic Technician. During his employment with the Bose Corporation, he provided hands-on support in the development of the Maverick Headphone Program, the first two of which were used by the two person crew that flew around the world non-stop. One headset is now with the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Prior to Bose, he was employed with the the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, as a civilian with the United States Air Force and by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was a Silver Member of the United States Naval Institute, former State Representative of the U.S. Horse Cavalry Association and a Life member of the Disabled American Veterans. Husband of the late Evelyn Coombes Stewart, he is survived by 5 children, including Thomas W. Stewart, Jr. of PA, Susan J. (Stewart) Bernard of PA, Ann L. Stewart of MA and Karen L. Stewart of NH. He leaves behind 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Funeral will be held on Monday, June 22 at 10 a.m. at Mayflower Congregational Church, Kingston. Interment will be held at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend both the funeral and interment.