LTC (Ret) Vinton Thomson 1918 - 2005

LEFF, THOMSON, MILLIGAN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/24/2019 at 17:12:18

Onawa Sentinel
24 November 2005

LTC (Ret) Vinton Thomson, 87, passed away Saturday, November 12, 2005 in a Houston, TX hospital after a lengthy illness.

He was born August 3, 1918 in Castana, Monona County, IA to the late Peter and Olivia Erica Leff Thomson. He attended grade school in Castana and graduated from Mapleton High School in 1935.

He worked his early adulthood on the family farm in Kennebec Township until he was drafted into the Army in 1944. After attending Officer Candidate School at Fort Penning, Ga., he was promoted to the rank of 2nd lieutenant.

He was sent overseas with the Army's 35th Division its part of the Normandy Invasion. Wounded in action and captured by German troops in Nancy, France three months after D-Day. Vinton spent the remainder of WW II in various German prisoner-of-war camps, primarily OFLAG 64 in Poland.

After the war, Vinton was repatriated for rehabilitation to Camp Robinson in Little Rock, AR. where he met and married Glendene Milligan.

Upon discharge from the Army he returned to Iowa to resume farming and joined the Iowa National Guard as a battery commander.

His National Guard Unit was activated during the Korean War and he was shipped to Germany where he served four years in the U.S. Army of Occupation. He was then transferred to Colorado Springs, CO to act as company commander of a National Guard Signal Corps Company.

The Army reactivated his Company in 1960 and he was stationed at Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe, in Heidelberg, Germany. In early 1968 he was sent to Paris, France for the early negotiations of the Paris Peace talks. Ironically, from there he was assigned to the First Cavalry Division and sent to Vietnam.

Vinton retired from the Army in 1969 having attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his over 27 years of service to his country he was awarded numerous medals including the Army Commendation Modal, POW Medal, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Clusters and Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Clusters.

Although he maintained ownership of his farm in Iowa, he lived his later years in Jackson, MS. There he had a long and distinguished career as an agent for New York Life Insurance Company until he finally retired in 2004 at the age of 85 and moved to Seabrook, TX to be near his daughter.

Overseeing his property in Iowa brought him home often and he was especially proud in 2002 to be recognized by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship as Steward of an Iowa "Century, Farm," his working farm having been in the Thomson family for over 100. years.

Vinton is survived by his daughter, Patricia Ann, Thomson of Seabrook, TX; his son and wife, Tracey Vinton and Debby Thomson of Birmingham, AL; granddaughter, Ashley Hope Thomson of Atlanta, GA., grandson, Colby Vinton Thomson of Birmingham; nephews, Dan and Art Thomson and nieces, Kathy Gregg and Tina Stetler. He also leaves behind numerous other relatives, many fond acquaintances and special friends, Glen Green and Ellie Marshall.

He was, preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Albert, Gerald and Vernon; and his sister Velma.

Visitation was November 15, 2005 in Houston TX. A service will be held at the military chapel in Arlington, VA on January 5, 2006 at 3:00 p.m., following which he will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors accorded him as a highly decorated veteran and former POW.

In lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. Funeral ' arrangements were under the direction of Crowder Funeral Home, Webster, TX.