During WWII Wells served in the US Navy as a communications officer in T. Vega.  T. Vega and Zaca are shown racing in the channel between Catalina Island and San Pedro Harbor in 1939.

In 1941, both of these beautiful schooners were pressed into service of the Office of the Western Sea Frontier.  There fast, sleek schooners became picket boats, sailing in 100 mile grids east of Hawaii.  They provided homing signals for airplanes flying from Seattle, San Diego and Los Angeles on their way to Hawaii and on to the Battle of the Pacific from 1942 to 1945
 Thomas Wells (American) (1916-2004)