Death of a Classmate - R. Raley THOMLEY - 21st Co.

Lt. Col. R. Raley Thomley, USMC (Ret.) of Newbern TN  age 88 died 22  June  2018 from  heart failure.  Robert Raley Thomley grew up in Alabama.  He attended The Marion Institute and received an Alabama appointment to USNA. “Rails” was in the 21st Company and lived in the 6th Wing of Bancroft Hall.  On graduation, he was commissioned Second  Lieutenant   USMC,  attended Marine Corps Basic School,  Quantico, VA  and received training as an infantry platoon commander and Marine Officer.  Afterward, he received Engineering training at Camp Pendleton, CA. He became a Platoon Leader in the 3rd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, on Okinawa. This was followed as Aide-de-camp to the Assistant Division Commander in Japan.  Raley's next assignment was Disbursing Officer School and duty in disbursing at Camp Pendleton. Then he was an Infantry Platoon Commander in the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton. In 1959, he attended Photo Interpretation School, Fort Holabird, Baltimore  MD. Following, he was assigned as Operations Officer, 8th Engineer Battalion, Force Troops, Camp Lejeune, NC.  During  1960 - 61 he trained Cuban Freedom Fighters in amphibious operations prior the Bay of Pigs action. Returning to the States, Raley became Company CO in the   8th Engineer Battalion, and then CO  2nd Topographic Co.  A tour in Washington, D.C. followed with ONI; then the Defense Intelligence Agency, where he served at the National Photo Interpretation Center during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  In 1965, he was assigned Operations Officer, 3rd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division  South Vietnam. In 1966, he became the Operations Officer 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune. PG School at Monterey, CA followed.  and an MS  Degree in Management-Quantitative Analysis. In December 1968. Raley was assigned as Director Marine Corps Computer Sciences School, Quantico. Afterward, he moved to. Okinawa as Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence) 3rd Marine Division His last assignment was Director of Programming, Marine Corps Supply Activity Philadelphia.    Raley retired 1 June 1973  and moved to Memphis as Director Corporate Data Center, Holiday Inns, Inc. Services were June 25, at St. Mary Episcopal Church. Burial was in Dyer County Memorial Gardens.  Survivors are wife, Agnes Ann Moore, 3 sons; Raley Daniel  Thomley, Paul, Christopher (Teresa)  Thomley,  and Erin Andrew (Dyan) Thomley,  3 daughters; Kathryn Ann Devlin (Charles), Rosemary Susan T. Dragunas (Gint),   C. Maria Coleman; 2 sisters; Jacquelyn Warren (Fritz), Ann Forrester, 12 grandchildren; and  5 great-grandchildren.