Warren A. Thompson

May 14, 2018

Veterans Hall of Fame

Born on the family farm in Savona, Warren Thompson dreamed of flying airplanes as a boy and, upon the start of World War II, yearned to fly military planes.

Mr. Thompson graduated from Savona Central School in 1942, enlisted in the Army, passed the air cadet exam and started his pilot training. On August 30, 1943, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps and trained as a pilot on B26, Martin Marauders.

The Army needed A20 Douglas light bomber crews for deployment to the European Theater, so he transferred to the A20s and was assigned to the 647th Bomb Group in Gosfield, England. On his first mission on May 27, 1944, his plane was shot down over Amiens, France. He escaped capture and worked with the local Free French Forces under the assumed name of Roland Fauntain, until his capture by the German military in St. Just, France on July 20, 1944.

2LT Thompson was a POW in the Paris Prison, Buchenwald Prison, Stalag Luft 3 camp, Nuremburg camp, and was finally liberated at the Mooseburg camp by General George Patton’s 3rd Army.

Upon honorable discharge on March 10, 1950, he returned to the family farm in Savona which he successfully grew by acquiring over 20 additional farms and parcels and which remains a working farm today under his son, Gary, as Thompson Farms. 2LT Thompson’s work ethic, determination, and honesty are legendary. For nearly four decades, in addition to farming, he served as rural postal carrier.

2LT Thompson also gave back to his community in many ways, including as a Savona school board member and President, Commander of VFW Post 1470, member of the Bath Planning Board, member and sponsor of the Savona Fire Department, and President of the Steuben County Veteran’s Memorial.

Warren A. Thompson is a proud representative of the “Greatest Generation.” He will celebrate his 94th birthday on June 20, 2018.