Grave marker for Pvt Thomas P.. McGinley in the Old Saint Josephs Cemetery, Ashland (Schuylkill County), Pennsylvania.

On April 13, 1944 Company D joined other groups assembling at Langar Airfield, about 12 miles distant from Nottingham. There they boarded C-47 aircraft for a practice jump that took place about 60 miles to the northeast of the Nottingham area. Typically the aircraft would loop out over the ocean and then come back into the coastal area to simulate an attack run.

The company assembled after the jump and returned to Nottingham by truck. Thomas was reported initially as missing, then as being AWOL. A few days later, probably on April 18th, a search of the drop zone in Owthorpe revealed his body lying somewhat concealed in a ditch. His parachute had never opened and he was killed upon impact with the ground.

The fact of his death was noted in the company's morning report of April 19th as "McGinley, Thomas P, [change of status] from duty to deceased as of 13 April 1943 (killed in jump)"