Earl F. Thompson

Preferred Name: Earl
Nickname/Call Sign: Tommy, Pearl
Date of Birth: October 1, 2022
Highest Military Grade: Select
Hometown: Capleville, TN

Two Pilots Get Praise (Seventh Air Force News, August 7, 1968)

“PHAN RANG – Maj. James E. Kelm, Glendale, Ariz., and 1st Lt. Earl F. Thompson, Capleville, Tenn., F-100 Supersabre pilots assigned to the 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Phan Rang AB, were praised recently for their professionalism while assisting Army of the Republic of Vietnam (A R V N) forces in Bac Lieu Province.

A letter received by the 35th by the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing from the Air Liaison Officer assigned to the 21st ARVN Division indicated that the two pilots delivered their ordnance against the enemy in a highly professional manner.

The forward air controller working with the ARVN unit indicated that the air strike broke the enemy attack and sent the Viet Cong company fleeing from the battlefield.

The Phan Rang aircrews “switched targets without delay and strafed the bunkers and tree lines where the Viet Cong tried to take cover.” Col. William I. Williams, the commander of the 504th Tactical Air Support Group, the headquarters for all Vietnam forward air controllers, praised the aircrews for their close cooperation with the FACs in supporting the ARVN forces.”(1)

Source(1): https://theseverts.com/Phan%20Rang%20News%20%2010.pdf