Tommy Thompson:
CLASS OF 1966
Hall High SchoolClass of 1966
Little rock, AR
Tommy's Story
I joined the Marine Corps after High school.
I fought in the Vietnam War in 1967 and was wounded three times. I fought in the Gulf war in 1991 and retired after 30 years in the Marine Corps in 1995. I am the father of 5 children 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. I served as a helicopter crew chief and machine gunner aboard Marine Helicopters in Vietnam and trained Reserve Marines in Dallas , Texas. I taught Marines for four years as an instructor at Helicopter School in Memphis Tennessee. I crewed a C-117D in Japan and Beaufort, S.C. I was on the Commandant of the Marine Corps aircraft crew stationed at Andrews AFB in Maryland. I served at the Presidential Helicopter Squadron for Presidents Carter and Reagan as the Power Plants Chief on a variety of helicopter types. I deployed to several foreign countries as the Squadrons most senior enlisted helicopter maintenance supervisor. I retired as a Master Gunnery Sergeant in August 1995 after 30 years of service.
After retirement I have worked for Raytheon Aerospace, L3Vertex, and Sikorsky Helicopters, on various helicopters in a civilian capacity for the Marine Corps. I currently am employed by General Dynamics as a Functional Analyst for the CH-53E Marine Helicopter.I have survived cancer of the tongue and lymph nodes in 1997 and currently had the left kidney removed June 2009 for cancer and sugery for bladder cancer in October 2009 but all in all am pretty healthy and weigh 155 lbs at age 61. After recovery from kidney cancer it metastisized again in the lymph nodes. As of October 2010 I am finishing my last chemotherapy and have been told I'm cancer free.
School Fact
I took Little Rock Central High's School Flag from their flag pole in 1965 and was suspended for a week.
I did it on lunch break with Central students watching.
I have lived in Los Angeles,CA,Little Rock, AR,San Diego, CA. Tustin,CA., Marble Mountain near Da Nang and Dong Ha Vietnam, Dallas Texas,
Memphis, Tennesse, Iwakuni Japan, Futenma, Okinawa, Beaufort, South Carolina, Andrews AFB, Maryland, Quantico, VA, and Jacksonville NC.
The countr...Expand for more
ies in addition to Vietnam I have served in or visited while in the Marines are, Nationalist China, Phillipines,Korea,England,Belgium,Norway,France,Portugal,Spain,Puerto Rico, Israel,Morocco,Egypt,Bahrain,Iraq,
Kuwait,Guam,Okinawa
Japan,Italy, Columbia,Cambodia,Laos,Germany and Sicily.
My biggest surprise other than surviving 3 combat wounds at seperate times during 1967, was doing 30 years in the Marine Corps and being included in the book written by Jim Guy Tucker in 1968 after he visited Vietnam in 1967, titiled "Arkansas Men at War". he included a chapter on me and pictures, he flew with me aboard my helicopter days after I was wounded the second time. I was subsequently shot a third time later that summer.
I also survived squamas cell cancer of the lymph nodes and adenocarcinoma cancer of the tongue muscle in 1997. I had my left kidney removed for urethelial cancer in June 2009 and surgery for bladder cancer in October and November of 2009 but am doing well.
My Favorite Football teams are the Dallas Cowboys and Favorite College team the Razorbacks. Favorite Basketball team is Duke.
Things I learned from my kids.
If you treat them as you would like to be treated, as adults they will amaze you at how well they treat others and their success in life.
I always wanted to be a Marine when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a great idea. As it turns out, they were right.
My hero's have been military men or women ready to lay down their lives for the defense of our freedom.
I share my home with my wife and 2 miniature schnauzers. All my children are grown and have their own families.
My best friend would tell you I'm easy going, but people who don't know me very well would probably describe me as quiet and shy.
I love old classic rock-n-roll and good old fashioned country music.
*****UPDATE**** Sadly, Tommy "TC", passed away June 18, 2011 after a long, hard fought battle with cancer. He is buried at the State VA Cemetary in Jacksonville, NC. Anyone who would like to pay respects, it is plot D49. He is greatly missed and was deeply loved. Candie Thompson
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