Thomas Lloyd Spidle was born on October 4, 1924 to Czerny & Lula (McCombs) Spidle in Irondale, Alabama. He later lived in Lovick, Alabama. There were nine children in the family.

Prior to entering the service, Spidle worked for Toddle House Corp in Birmingham, Alabama.

S1C Spidle was deployed to the European Theater of Operations during WWII with the Naval Reserve..

On June 6, 1944 (D-Day), S1C Spidle was aboard landing craft LCS-31, aka LCF-31, in the assault on the beaches of Normandy. LCF-31 was to provide anti-aircraft cover for the assault. When enemy aircraft attacks didn’t develop, LCF-31 was redirected to the beach with the first wave of the attack. She was shelled and sunk about 800 yards off the coast. Of the 72 man crew, 54 men perished, including S1C Spidle. His body was recovered that night by LCF-12. He was just 19 years old.

S1C Thomas Lloyd Spidle is interred in Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. His older brother, PFC Jack D. Spidle, is also interred in Normandy American Cemetery. Jack was KIA in Italy in January 1944.

S1C Thomas Lloyd Spidle was awarded the Purple Heart.

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References

“They Gave All”. The Birmingham News. November 11, 1945, p.71.
United States Navy Department Office of Information. (1946).* Alabama Through Missouri*. U. S. Government Printing Office. p.13. Retrieved from Google Books May 5, 2021.
“H-031-1: Operation Neptune—the Amphibious Assault on Normandy 6 June 1944”. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
Williams, Greg H. (2020). The U.S. Navy at Normandy. McFarland and Company, Inc. Jefferson, North Carolina. p.231.
“LUCKY LARRY LAMPTON”. Northern Express. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
“S1 Thomas L Spidle”. Find A Grave. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
“UNITED STATES NAVAL CASUALTIES”. NAVAL-HISTORY.NET. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
“Thomas Lloyd Spidle”. HonorStates.org. Retrieved May 5, 2021.

Thomas L Spidle