I Lost a Hero Today . . . .

indianasmith · August 03, 2011, 10:37:02 AM

Harry Thompson, aged 97, of Wolfe City, TX died last night at 11 pm.
Harry was my neighbor for 14 years and my friend since 1988. I am going to miss him greatly.
In many ways, Harry was a poster child for "The Greatest Generation." He joined the U.S. Army in the spring of 1941, several months before Pearl Harbor. He served in the 99th Field Artillery Division as a Chief Warrrant Officer, and shipped out to Europe in the summer of 1944. He received his baptism of fire on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, when his position was overrun by German Panzers in the predawn hours. He fought a losing duel with a tank, armed only with his .45, then was captured towards the end of the day on Dec. 16, 1944. As a POW, he was shipped all over Germany, winding up in Hammelburg, where he and 3,000 other POW's were the targets of a failed rescue attempt launched by Gen. George S Patton in March of 1945. (Hitler had issued an order for all POW's to be executed and all camp personnel to join the Wehrmacht in the desperate fight for Germany's survival. The Camp commandants, knowing the war was lost, disobeyed that order.) Harry was liberated by Patton's commandos, but they were overwhelmed, and he was recaptured before the day was over. Then he and the other Hammelburg POW's were marched all the way across Germany towards the Austrian border, one step ahead of the Americans, and being bombed and shelled by our own aircraft and artillery most of the way. Harry survived the ordeal and was liberated in May of 1945, having dropped from 155 pounds to 101 pounds during his six months as a captive.
Harry returned to Texas, owned a bar in Dallas for many years, and with his loving wife Virginia raised a single daughter named Pam. He moved to Wolfe City when he retired and ran a feed store right next to my church, which is where I met him in the summer of 1988. We became close friends and I helped him write his book, PATTON'S ILL-FATED RAID, which is an excellent account of his experiences in the war. He lost Virginia in 2003, but contined to enjoy life, driving himself around until he was 95. In 1996, Harry made national news when he decided to go skydiving for the first time at the age of 92. Some paratroopers from Fort Hood came up to watch the event, and when Harry landed safely, one of them took the Paratrooper Wings off his uniform and pinned it on Harry's jacket.
Around that same time, Harry discovered the wonderful world of Email. He sent me dozens of Emails every week. Some of them were jokes, some of them were inspirational, some of them were chain letters, many of them were political (Harry did NOT like Obama!), and a few of them were naughty! Harry was the oldest presiding Grand Master of a Masonic Lodge in the world at the age of 93. He enjoyed dancing and going to veteran's reunions. He did a turn as a docent at the National POW museum in Andersonville, Georgia in 2002. In the last couple of years, his health began to fail, and Pam called me this morning to tell me that he died last night. I have been asked to speak at his funeral. I hope I can get through it without choking up - Harry was not just a good friend, he was a hero to me. Not just because of all that he had done, but because, like most members of his generation, to him there was nothing remarkable about his life or his service. His country needed him and he went.

They just don't make them like that anymore.

Rev. Powell · August 03, 2011, 10:41:08 AM

Sorry to hear about your loss. Harry sounds like a great guy and this was a wonderful tribute to him.

Psycho Circus · August 03, 2011, 11:53:18 AM

My condolences Indy, but sounds like he lived a rich life and to get to 97 is pretty good going! I wouldn't be so anxious about speaking at the funeral reading through what you've posted, the words will come just fine.

Umaril The Unfeathered · August 03, 2011, 12:25:46 PM

I wouldn't say there wasn't anything remarkable abut his life or his service to America, because there's a reason we refer to people like Harry being part of "The Greatest Generation."

I'm sorry for your loss, Indy, and for the loss of yet another American Hero.

I raise my glass to one of America's finest, and may he rest safely beneath the wings of The Eagle as she wraps Her mighty wings around yet another of our fallen warriors.

SALUTE!!!

Cthulhu · August 03, 2011, 01:47:49 PM

I'm sorry for your loss.
He must've been a great friend.

Criswell · August 03, 2011, 02:45:38 PM

Sorry for your loss. It sounds like he was a great man.

And considering what you put here, i'm sure you'll do just fine talking at his funeral.

bob · August 03, 2011, 07:17:59 PM

I'm sorry for your loss. He seems like a real great guy.

RCMerchant · August 03, 2011, 07:42:27 PM

Very sorry.
It's sad,not many of the heros of WW 2 are left.

Pilgermann · August 04, 2011, 12:43:51 AM

Indy, you and others affected have my prayers and condolences. Seems like he was a very nice and interesting fellow, and it's good that the both of you had the pleasure of a long friendship.

Trevor · August 04, 2011, 06:38:57 AM

Quote from: indianasmith on August 03, 2011, 10:37:02 AM
In 1996, Harry made national news when he decided to go skydiving for the first time at the age of 92. Some paratroopers from Fort Hood came up to watch the event, and when Harry landed safely, one of them took the Paratrooper Wings off his uniform and pinned it on Harry's jacket.

All I can say to that is wow!

QuoteHis country needed him and he went.

That pretty much describes my Dad as well.

Quote

That is a nice pic of you, Indy.

As the son of a soldier myself, I can say RIP Harry, thank you for your service.

Umaril The Unfeathered · August 04, 2011, 03:19:31 PM

Quote from: RCMerchant on August 03, 2011, 07:42:27 PM
Very sorry.
It's sad,not many of the heros of WW 2 are left.

Indeed. It's even more of a sobering milestone that ALL of the WW1 veterans are now gone. WW1 will have it's 100th anniversary in 1914, and one day, in our lifetimes, WW2 will also be at that point.

And while it's a lifetime away for most of us (not being old enough to remember or not being born then) WW2 ended only a mere 65 or 66 years ago, and that's not very long ago at all if you think about it.

indianasmith · August 06, 2011, 05:58:00 PM

Well, we gave Harry his send-off today. It was a very impressive funeral - The Hunt County Veterans Honor Guard was there to present the colors and play taps, the Patriot Guard presented the family with a plaque, the County Commissioner's Court issued a proclamation in his honor and presented the family with a Texas flag flown over the capitol, and at the close of my message the Masonic Lodge performed their "Ritual for the Departed," which is very moving and classy. I presented the eulogy and talked about Harry, as a soldier, as a father and husband, as a neighbor and friend, and as a patriot and man of faith. I'll admit there were a couple of moments that were very hard for me to get through.

But it was worth it when his daughter hugged me and said, "That was perfect. Daddy would have been very proud."

He will be laid to rest Monday at the D/FW National Cemetery. I'm gonna miss him a lot.