Private First Class William Henry Thompson, A Soldier's Story
Private First Class William Henry Thompson, A Soldier's Story
Private First Class William Henry Thompson was born on August 16, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York. Raised in poverty, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 1945 shortly after World War II ended. He spent approximately eighteen months stationed in Alaska before receiving an honorable discharge.
Civilian life, however, did not suit him. In January 1948, he reenlisted.
Thompson was known as a disciplined and dependable soldier. He was comfortable within the structure of military life and respected for his skill as a marksman. When the Korean War erupted in June 1950, he was assigned to Company M, 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, one of the last remaining segregated units in the U.S. Army.
On August 6, 1950, during the Battle of the Pusan Perimeter, Thompson’s unit came under intense enemy assault. Serving as a machine gunner, he placed himself in an exposed forward position to deliver covering fire against advancing North Korean forces.
Wounded by small arms fire and grenade fragments, Thompson was ordered to withdraw. He refused.
Despite his injuries, he continued firing, deliberately holding his position to provide cover as the remainder of his unit retreated to safer ground. His sustained fire slowed the enemy advance and enabled many of his fellow soldiers to escape. He was killed in action.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Private First Class William Henry Thompson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. His actions occurred during a pivotal moment in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter, one of the earliest and most critical stages of the Korean War.
He rests at Long Island National Cemetery in New York. William Henry Thompson’s courage was not complicated. It was simple, deliberate, and costly. He stayed so others could leave. And because he did, they lived.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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