▁ ▁When ▁he ▁again ▁became ▁a ▁civil ian , ▁he ▁accepted ▁a ▁position ▁with ▁the ▁Alb any , ▁Georgia , ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Fire ▁Comp an ies ▁Ad just ment ▁Bureau , ▁Inc ., ▁and ▁Alb any ▁became ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Thom ason ▁re - en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Reserve ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁following ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor . ▁He ▁asked ▁for ▁action , ▁and ▁when ▁L t . ▁Col . ▁Evans ▁Carl son ▁was ▁organ izing ▁his ▁famous ▁Ra iders , ▁Thom ason ▁volunte ered . ▁ ▁Because ▁he ▁was ▁so ▁tall , ▁, ▁and ▁we ighed ▁; ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁ask ▁for ▁a ▁height ▁w ai ver ▁to ▁get ▁into ▁the ▁Ra iders . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁training ▁in ▁California ▁before ▁going ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁battle fields ▁in ▁April ▁for ▁duty ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Ra ider ▁Battalion . ▁ ▁Let ters ▁that ▁he ▁wrote ▁to ▁friends ▁in ▁Alb any , ▁Georgia ▁during ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁show ▁that ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁be ▁" where ▁things ▁are ▁happening ." ▁He ▁refused ▁to ▁accept ▁assign ments ▁which ▁would ▁keep ▁him ▁away ▁from ▁action . ▁ ▁He ▁wrote ▁of ▁his ▁command ing ▁officer , ▁L t . Col . ▁Carl son , ▁and ▁of ▁Maj . ▁James ▁Ro ose vel t , ▁second ▁in ▁command . ▁L t . Col . ▁Carl son ▁thought ▁so ▁highly ▁of