William Thompson

 
WILLIAM THOMPSON  
LTC USA Army (Ret.) William John Thompson "Bill", 81, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 14, 2012. He was born January 4, 1931, in Kingston, NY. He graduated from Ft. Hamilton High School, Brooklyn, NY, 1949, and was a Cadet at Pennsylvania Military College, studied Political Science, and graduated 1953. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Regular Army and attended Ranger School. His tours of duty include: Ft. Dix; Germany; Ft. Hood; Advisor, ARMISH MAAG, Imperial Iranian Artillery School, Iran; Penn State University: Assistant Professor of Military Science; Vietnam '63-'64: Battalion Advisor, MAAG Vietnam, 47th Separate Infantry Regiment (ARVN), G1 and G5 Advisor, 23rd Infantry Division (ARVN); Ft Knox; Vietnam '67-'68: Intel Officer, Support Command, 4th Infantry Division, and Data Analyst, Tactical Surveillance in Vietnam Study Group, G2, USARV; Ft Meade; Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, G2, HQ V Corps, Frankfurt, Germany; and Ft. Carson, and retired Lieutenant Colonel US Army. Earned Master's Degree from University of Colorado, he moved to Burke, VA, and worked as an adjudicator for Virginia's Social Security Department, 17 years. While honorably serving his country, Bill received numerous decorations, medals, commendations, citations and campaign ribbons including: the prestigious Silver Star Medal; Bronze Star Medal; National Defense Service Metal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters; Combat Infantryman Badge; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm; Gallantry Cross with Silver Star; Vietnam Service Medal with 5 Bronze Service Stars; Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device; Air Medal; Meritorious Unit Citation; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster; Ranger Badge; German Army Marksmanship in Bronze; Expert Badge (.45 Cal Pistol); Expert Badge (Carbine); Civil Action Honor Medal with 1st Class. Bill was a devoted son, husband, and father and was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Francis Thompson and is survived by his loving wife, Sharon Poore Thompson of 47 years; and his three daughters and sons-in-law, Elizabeth Thompson Krieger of Haymarket, VA, Kristine Thompson Foskey and Will Foskey of Bel Air, MD and Kathleen Thompson Tollison and Rich Tollison of Baltimore, MD; and grandchildren, William Thompson and Jack Thompson Krieger, Addison and Olivia Foskey, and Richard William "Billy" Tollison. His surviving relatives include his brother and sister-in-law, John and Cheryl Poore of Louisville, KY and brother-in-law, Jim Hugo of Springfield, VA, and Gloria Campbell Puccio, Phoenix, AZ. Bill was a wonderful, dedicated family man with a unique sense of humor and will be sorely missed. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:30 a.m., Thursday, September 20, 2012 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 8213 Linton Hall Road, Gainesville, VA, 20155. The family will receive friends at the church prior to the Mass from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Reverend Thomas Yehl will officiate. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that donations be made to The Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS, 66675 or got@woundedwarriorproject.org, in his memory. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will follow at a date yet to be determined.