Charles Richard Thompsen

1919 ~ 2013
Roosevelt, UT-Charles Richard Thompsen was born December 28th, 1919, in Spring City, Utah. The eldest of six children, he was reared with farm work using a team of horses, and actively participated in Scouting, camping, and skiing in the Wasatch Mountains. He was the first Eagle Scout in Spring City, and was proud that his four sons also earned Eagle Scout.
He had a life-long dream about flying, and learned to fly at Mount Pleasant, on a field so rough - he was fond of saying - an eagle broke its leg on landing.
He was accepted as an Aviation Cadet in August 1941, and went through Army Air Corps flight training, eventually flying a B-17 to England and joining the 100th Bomb Group, known as the "Bloody Hundredth" because of their high casualty rate. He was shot down on his first mission in a B-17 over Germany on August 17th, 1943, was captured, and spent 21 months as a Prisoner of War. He was liberated by General George S. Patton on April 30, 1945, and returned to the United States.
He married Jane Anderson just short of 67 years ago, and reared 5 children while continuing a career in the USAF, serving assignments overseas and in the States. He had over 10,000 hours flight time, and was qualified in multiple airplanes, both as a pilot and as an instructor. He earned the wings of a Command Pilot, the highest rating for a pilot in the USAF.
He and Jane moved to the Basin in 1973, and both have been active members of the community ever since. Charles was a Scoutmaster for 27 years, and served on the Johnson Water Board, leading an expansion of its service, and was active with the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He thoroughly enjoyed working on his yard, and was thrilled to get his garden in by Memorial Day this year.
As he did in life, Charles set the example in dying and passed away peacefully on June 24, 2013, knowing that he was surrounded by loving family and friends, both in presence and in spirit.
In that spirit, the family requests no flowers, but would prefer that in his honor, a helping hand be lent to a neighbor in need.
A Military "Salute to a Fallen Comrade" service will be held on Saturday, June 29th, at 11:00 AM at the American Legion Barracks at the corner of State Street and 100 North, in Roosevelt. He will be interred at Utah State Veterans Memorial Park at Camp Williams in Riverton at 11:00 AM on Monday, July 1st, 2013.
He is survived by his wife, Jane, and his five children: Charlie Ray, David, Christy King, Tom, and James. He is also survived by his brother Fergus, and his two sisters, Carol Nielsen and Virginia Thompsen.
Condolences may be shared at www.hullingermortuary.com