The Thomas Hills are a linear group of hills, 17 miles (27.4 km) long, between Foundation Ice Stream

Foundation Ice Stream

Foundation Ice Stream is a major ice stream in Antarctica's Pensacola Mountains. The ice stream drains northward for 150 miles along the west side of the Patuxent Range and the Neptune Range to enter Ronne Ice Shelf westward of Dufek Massif. The United States Geological Survey mapped the stream...

 and MacNamara Glacier

MacNamara Glacier

MacNamara Glacier is a glacier in the Patuxent Range, Pensacola Mountains, draining northeastward between the Thomas and Anderson Hills to Foundation Ice Stream. Mapped by United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1956-66. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic...

 at the north end of the Patuxent Range

Patuxent Range

The Patuxent Range is a major range of the Pensacola Mountains, comprising the Thomas Hills, Anderson Hills, Mackin Table and various nunataks and ridges bounded by the Foundation Ice Stream, Academy Glacier and the Patuxent Ice Stream. Discovered and partially photographed on January 13, 1956 in...

 in the Pensacola Mountains

Pensacola Mountains

The Pensacola Mountains are a large group of mountain ranges and peaks in Antarctica, extending 450 km in a NE-SW direction, comprising the Argentina Range, Forrestal Range, Dufek Massif, Cordiner Peaks, Neptune Range, Patuxent Range, Rambo Nunataks and Pecora Escarpment...

, Antarctica. They were mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey from surveys and from U.S. Navy  air photos, 1956–66. The hills were named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending names for features in Antarctica...

 at the suggestion of Captain Finn Ronne

Finn Ronne

Finn Ronne was a U.S. Antarctic explorer.-Background:Finn Ronne was born in Horten, in Vestfold county, Norway. His father, Martin Rønne , was a polar explorer and served in Roald Amundsen's successful expedition to the South Pole...

, U.S. Navy Reserve, leader at Ellsworth Station

Ellsworth Station

The Ellsworth Station was an Antarctic base established by the United States during the 1957 International Geophysical Year. The base was soon handed over to Argentina and subsequently abandoned and covered with ice in 1962.-History:...

, 1957. Charles S. Thomas

Charles Thomas (Secretary of the Navy)

Charles S. Thomas was a U.S. administrator. He served as Secretary of the Navy between May 3, 1954 and April 1, 1957.Thomas was born in Independence, Missouri, attended the University of California and Cornell...

 was Secretary of the Navy, 1954–57, during the first few years of U.S. Navy Operation Deep Freeze

Operation Deep Freeze

Operation Deep Freeze is the codename for a series of United States missions to Antarctica, beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze I" in 1955–56, followed by "Operation Deep Freeze II", "Operation Deep Freeze III", and so on...

.