Private First Class Thompson was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 13 February 1951 when he stepped on an enemy land mine.

Thompson was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.