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S/Sgt Thomas J. Neary Jr. graduated from Charlemont High School in 1935 and was employed at the WN Potter Grain Store Incorporated.

He enlisted in Springfield, Massachusetts on 10 March 1941.

He was wounded on 9 November 1944 in France. He was sent ot a hospital in France where he remained until his assignment to a replacement unit on 8 December 1944.

He was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously. The citation cited: For courage under fire and aggressiveness in action against the enemy on the day he died. As part of task force Hamilton in Eschdorf, Luxembourg. He led his platoon of fighters into the bloodiest part of the fight and organized his fire power to protect the right flank of the third platoon. He moved up the street ahead of his men, systematically clearing out the enemy resistance. Using hand grenades, he killed or wounded all the enemy occupants of two houses and took all the Germans in a third house prisoners. He drove his platoon to fighting heights and helped his company hold the houses and the streets they took all night until morning when the enemy retreated. In the last house he was wounded. The town was surrounded and medical help could not reach him. He died on 26 December 1944.

He was killed by artillery shell fragments to the stomach.

S/Sgt Neary was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery in Grand-Failly, France.

His sister Janet served with the The Women's Reserve (WAVES) and his brother Kenneth werved with the U.S. Marines in the Marianas.