NAME: Kalmer G. Thompson
ASN: 37098075
PLACE OF BIRTH:
DATE OF BIRTH:
DATES OF SERVICE: 14 Jan 1942 - 25 Aug 1945
UNIT ASSIGNED: E. Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment
E Company, 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
B Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
Replacement Plt. G Co (Prov) 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
B Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
CAMPAIGNS: Algeria - French Morocco, Tunisia, Naples - Foggia, Anzio, Rome - Arno
AWARDS: Parachutist Badge with three combat jump stars, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal, POW Medal, Good Conduct Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead and six bronze campaign stars, WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster, 3rd Zouaves Regiment Badge, Honorable Service Discharge Emblem
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
Worked on a farm prior to entering the service
14 Jan 1942 - Enlisted at Fort Snelling, MN
Completed 16 weeks of Basic Training at Camp Wolters, TX
Volunteered to become a paratrooper and was sent to Fort Benning, GA to attend THe Parachute School
Sailed on the Queen Elizabeth departing New York City and arriving is Glasgow, Scotland. Trip took four days.
Unit took train from Scotland to England and continued paratrooper training
08 Nov 1942 - Pfc. Kalmer G. Thompson 37098075 E Co 2nd Bn 509th PIR Hometown: Ulen, Minn Participated in Operation TORCH (VILLIAN) Plane: 3 Seat: 4 Combat Weight: 282
15 Nov 1942 - Participated in combat jump at Youks Les Bains
15 Jul 1943 - Pfc. Kalmer G. Thompson 37098075 E Co 2nd Bn 509th PIR 7-Dec-41 to 15-Jul-43 GO8 Awarded Good Conduct Medal, 1yr Svc
14 Sep 1943 - Cpl. Kalmer G. Thompson 37098075 2nd BN 509th PIR Participated in Operation GIANT III Jump at Avellino, Italy Naples-Foggia Combat Jump Star
11 Jan 1944 - Pvt. Kalmer G. Thompson 37098075 B CO 509th PIB SO 4 Assigned to Replacement Plt. G Co (Prov) 2nd Bn 509th PIR
22 Jan 1944 - Participated in Operation SHINGLE the amphibious landings at Anzio, Italy
29 Feb 1944 - Captured at Anzio, Italy. Taken to Camp in Austria. Guards were former WWI German prisoners so treated them well since they knew what they were going through. Fed meals once a day, cabbage soup and one-seventh of a loaf of bread
00 May 1945 - Liberated by Russians from POW Camp who told them the war was over
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 37098075 | 37098075 |
NAME | THOMPSON KALMER G | THOMPSON KALMER G |
GRADE, ALPHA | CPL | Corporal |
GRADE CODE | 6 | First Lieutenant or Chief nurse or Head dietitian or Head physical therapy aide or Corporal or Technician 5th Grade or Lt. Jr. Grade or First Class, Seaman |
SERVICE CODE | 1 | ARMY |
ARM OR SERVICE | INF | Infantry |
ARM OR SERVICE CODE | 10 | INF: INFANTRY |
DATE REPORT: DAY (DD) | 29 | 29 |
DATE REPORT: MONTH (MM) | 02 | 02 |
DATE REPORT: YEAR (Y) | 4 | 1944 |
RACIAL GROUP CODE | 1 | White |
STATE OF RESIDENCE | 74 | Minnesota |
TYPE OF ORGANIZATION | 160 | Parachute Infantry |
PARENT UNIT NUMBER | 0509 | 0509 |
PARENT UNIT TYPE | 07 | Battalion/Training Battalion Combat/Special Troops |
AREA | 98 | North African Theatre: Italy |
LATEST REPORT DATE: DAY (DD) | 09 | 09 |
LATEST REPORT DATE: MONTH (MM) | 07 | 07 |
LATEST REPORT DATE: YEAR (Y) | 5 | 1945 |
SOURCE OF REPORT | 1 | Individual has been reported through sources considered official. |
STATUS | 8 | Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated |
DETAINING POWER | 1 | GERMANY |
CAMP | 013 | Stalag 7A Moosburg Bavaria 48-12 (Work Camps 3324-46 Krumbachstrasse 48011, Work Camp 3368 Munich 48-11) |
REP | ||
POW TRANSPORT SHIPS |
Photo taken in 1942 location unknown
Photo taken in 1942 at Fort Benning, GA
After the war he bought a farm
In 1950 he married Gloria
They had two sons and three daughters
Still lives on the farm he bought
Bronze Star Medal awarded for CIB
29 Jul 2016 - Passed away
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