Seaman (E2) Thome served aboard the Landing Ship Tank (LST) 561. He was Killed in Action while engaged with the enemy in Korea on 2 March 1952. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Thome was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.