The downside to Magnum's occupation was the lack of money and the physical pain and trauma that went with the job. To solve his financial woes, Magnum taught a private eye course at a  local college and took a "real" job as a hotel detective. As for the rock'em, sock'em part of his job, Thomas did his best to avoid punches to the face, and the conks on the noggin but there were certain things out of his control like the time Thomas crashed Robin's Ferrari and ended in the hospital with amnesia. But probably the strangest ordeal suffered by Magnum was in 1987 when he was mortally wounded in a gun fight. He died, went to heaven but miraculously returned to life. Could it be that Thomas just couldn't leave this mortal realm without knowing whether Higgins was really Masters?

While in Vietnam, Thomas and a group of his war buddies had rings made to commemorate their tour in Asia. The Ring displays the Cross of Lorraine, a military symbol inspired by the standard of French heroine Joanne d'Arc.

A recurring theme in Magnum's life was the Vietnam War. Thomas had served as a Lieutenant with the VM02 Unit in Da Nang. He wore a cap with the VMO2 emblem as a souvenir of those days. Magnum's  tour of duty included being tagged as a prisoner of war (No. 73762) and tortured by a Russian agent (who showed up in Hawaii, year later). But perhaps, his most bitter sweet memory of Vietnam was Michelle, an Asian woman whom Magnum married briefly in Saigon during the war, only to be separated during a bombing. Assuming her dead, Magnum mourned his lose until Michelle turned up alive and with her first husband General Hue, a Vietnamese dignitary. In 1986, Michelle feared for the life of her 5-year-old daughter Lily and consequently, left her with Magnum for safekeeping. A car bomb killed Michelle soon after. This gave Thomas pause to reflect on his life and so he decided to rejoin the US Navy.

Some points of interest about Thomas Magnum. He carries a lucky $2 bill (which he lost on his 40th birthday). Magnum's grandfather gave him the bill which has his birthday as the serial number. Each year on the Fourth of July, Thomas likes to be alone at sea on his surf-ski to contemplate life. To keep the sun out of his eyes, Thomas wears a baseball cap form the Detroit Tigers - his favorite team. And Magnum's typical choice of wardrobe was a casual shirt (often with flowered prints) and either shorts or jeans. When he wants a cool drink, Magnum reaches for the bubbly, satisfying taste of a good old-fashion bottle of beer. Thomas' favorite movie is "Stalag 17." His preferred weapons are a .45 caliber hand gun and a Walther PPK (carried in an ankle holster).

"This morning in paradise was not much better than the one yesterday. In other words – it was perfect. And morning in paradise is the perfect time of day. A quiet run, then a swim; it's a time your truly alone; a time when you're allowed to fully appreciate the rhythms of living. Besides, Higgins was going to be gone all day, and that made me appreciate the rhythms of living, even more" -- Thomas Magnum

Thomas Magnum with his two most favorite forms of transportation