US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
1st/Lt. Donald V Thompson DIS
Hometown:
Service#
Awards:
Biography gleaned from www.westpointaog.org
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1941
Donald Vincest Thompson was born October 9, 1919, at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia. Florida, and with the exception of one year at Stanton Preparatory Academy and four year at West Point, spent his entire life on Army Air Corps posts. Don was the only son of Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson (Air Corps).
His early childhood and youth were spent at Post Field, Langley Field, Clark Field (Philippine Islands), Phillips Field, Kelly Field, Randolph Field, Maxwell Field, Hensley Field and Washington, D.C. Don attended high school at Montgomery, Alabama, and Dallas, Texas, followed by a year at Stanton Preparatory Academy. Having received a presidential appointment, he entered West Point on July 1, 1937, at the age of seventeen.
Don's wish was to follow in his father's footsteps and become an airplane pilot in the Army Air Corps. Having done considerable flying with his father.
Upon graduating from West Point, June 12, 1941, Don was commissioned as second lieutenant of Cavalry. He was detailed to the Air Corps and reported at Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 1, 1941, for primary flying training with the Spartan School of Aeronautics. In November of the same year Don was transferred to Randolph Field, Texas, for basic flying training; from there, in January, 1942, to Foster Field, Victoria, Texas, for advanced flying training. Upon completion of his flying training, March 7, 1942, he received the rating of airplane pilot, was transferred from the Cavalry to the Air Corps, and was then ordered to the Army Advanced Flying School, Columbus, Mississippi, where he was assigned to duty as a flying instructor. On May 30, 1942, Don was promoted to the grade of first lieutenant, to rank from February 1, 1942. On July 1, 1942, he was appointed commanding officer of the 58th School Squadron, in addition to his duties as a flying instructor.
While on a mission of instructing a cadet in transition flying on the night of July 9, 1942, Don's brief career was tragically cut short when his plane AT-9 # 41-12141 crashed four miles from the field. The cause of the crash has never been determined, but Don's unquestioned ability and exceptional flying record left authorities to ponder only over what possible structural failure could have caused the disaster.
Left to mourn Don's loss is his father and mother, Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson.
1st/Lt. Donald V Thompson DIS
Hometown:
Service#
Awards:
Biography gleaned from www.westpointaog.org
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1941
Donald Vincest Thompson was born October 9, 1919, at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia. Florida, and with the exception of one year at Stanton Preparatory Academy and four year at West Point, spent his entire life on Army Air Corps posts. Don was the only son of Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson (Air Corps).
His early childhood and youth were spent at Post Field, Langley Field, Clark Field (Philippine Islands), Phillips Field, Kelly Field, Randolph Field, Maxwell Field, Hensley Field and Washington, D.C. Don attended high school at Montgomery, Alabama, and Dallas, Texas, followed by a year at Stanton Preparatory Academy. Having received a presidential appointment, he entered West Point on July 1, 1937, at the age of seventeen.
Don's wish was to follow in his father's footsteps and become an airplane pilot in the Army Air Corps. Having done considerable flying with his father.
Upon graduating from West Point, June 12, 1941, Don was commissioned as second lieutenant of Cavalry. He was detailed to the Air Corps and reported at Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 1, 1941, for primary flying training with the Spartan School of Aeronautics. In November of the same year Don was transferred to Randolph Field, Texas, for basic flying training; from there, in January, 1942, to Foster Field, Victoria, Texas, for advanced flying training. Upon completion of his flying training, March 7, 1942, he received the rating of airplane pilot, was transferred from the Cavalry to the Air Corps, and was then ordered to the Army Advanced Flying School, Columbus, Mississippi, where he was assigned to duty as a flying instructor. On May 30, 1942, Don was promoted to the grade of first lieutenant, to rank from February 1, 1942. On July 1, 1942, he was appointed commanding officer of the 58th School Squadron, in addition to his duties as a flying instructor.
While on a mission of instructing a cadet in transition flying on the night of July 9, 1942, Don's brief career was tragically cut short when his plane AT-9 # 41-12141 crashed four miles from the field. The cause of the crash has never been determined, but Don's unquestioned ability and exceptional flying record left authorities to ponder only over what possible structural failure could have caused the disaster.
Left to mourn Don's loss is his father and mother, Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson.
US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
1st/Lt. Donald V Thompson DIS
Hometown:
Service#
Awards:
Biography gleaned from www.westpointaog.org
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1941
Donald Vincest Thompson was born October 9, 1919, at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia. Florida, and with the exception of one year at Stanton Preparatory Academy and four year at West Point, spent his entire life on Army Air Corps posts. Don was the only son of Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson (Air Corps).
His early childhood and youth were spent at Post Field, Langley Field, Clark Field (Philippine Islands), Phillips Field, Kelly Field, Randolph Field, Maxwell Field, Hensley Field and Washington, D.C. Don attended high school at Montgomery, Alabama, and Dallas, Texas, followed by a year at Stanton Preparatory Academy. Having received a presidential appointment, he entered West Point on July 1, 1937, at the age of seventeen.
Don's wish was to follow in his father's footsteps and become an airplane pilot in the Army Air Corps. Having done considerable flying with his father.
Upon graduating from West Point, June 12, 1941, Don was commissioned as second lieutenant of Cavalry. He was detailed to the Air Corps and reported at Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 1, 1941, for primary flying training with the Spartan School of Aeronautics. In November of the same year Don was transferred to Randolph Field, Texas, for basic flying training; from there, in January, 1942, to Foster Field, Victoria, Texas, for advanced flying training. Upon completion of his flying training, March 7, 1942, he received the rating of airplane pilot, was transferred from the Cavalry to the Air Corps, and was then ordered to the Army Advanced Flying School, Columbus, Mississippi, where he was assigned to duty as a flying instructor. On May 30, 1942, Don was promoted to the grade of first lieutenant, to rank from February 1, 1942. On July 1, 1942, he was appointed commanding officer of the 58th School Squadron, in addition to his duties as a flying instructor.
While on a mission of instructing a cadet in transition flying on the night of July 9, 1942, Don's brief career was tragically cut short when his plane AT-9 # 41-12141 crashed four miles from the field. The cause of the crash has never been determined, but Don's unquestioned ability and exceptional flying record left authorities to ponder only over what possible structural failure could have caused the disaster.
Left to mourn Don's loss is his father and mother, Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson.
1st/Lt. Donald V Thompson DIS
Hometown:
Service#
Awards:
Biography gleaned from www.westpointaog.org
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1941
Donald Vincest Thompson was born October 9, 1919, at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia. Florida, and with the exception of one year at Stanton Preparatory Academy and four year at West Point, spent his entire life on Army Air Corps posts. Don was the only son of Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson (Air Corps).
His early childhood and youth were spent at Post Field, Langley Field, Clark Field (Philippine Islands), Phillips Field, Kelly Field, Randolph Field, Maxwell Field, Hensley Field and Washington, D.C. Don attended high school at Montgomery, Alabama, and Dallas, Texas, followed by a year at Stanton Preparatory Academy. Having received a presidential appointment, he entered West Point on July 1, 1937, at the age of seventeen.
Don's wish was to follow in his father's footsteps and become an airplane pilot in the Army Air Corps. Having done considerable flying with his father.
Upon graduating from West Point, June 12, 1941, Don was commissioned as second lieutenant of Cavalry. He was detailed to the Air Corps and reported at Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 1, 1941, for primary flying training with the Spartan School of Aeronautics. In November of the same year Don was transferred to Randolph Field, Texas, for basic flying training; from there, in January, 1942, to Foster Field, Victoria, Texas, for advanced flying training. Upon completion of his flying training, March 7, 1942, he received the rating of airplane pilot, was transferred from the Cavalry to the Air Corps, and was then ordered to the Army Advanced Flying School, Columbus, Mississippi, where he was assigned to duty as a flying instructor. On May 30, 1942, Don was promoted to the grade of first lieutenant, to rank from February 1, 1942. On July 1, 1942, he was appointed commanding officer of the 58th School Squadron, in addition to his duties as a flying instructor.
While on a mission of instructing a cadet in transition flying on the night of July 9, 1942, Don's brief career was tragically cut short when his plane AT-9 # 41-12141 crashed four miles from the field. The cause of the crash has never been determined, but Don's unquestioned ability and exceptional flying record left authorities to ponder only over what possible structural failure could have caused the disaster.
Left to mourn Don's loss is his father and mother, Colonel and Mrs. Bernard S. Thompson.
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