Denny Thompson first emerged from the dense timber of his property Thursday afternoon using atop a crimson all-terrain car, sporting a cap and a smile with a cigar butt protruding the aspect of his mouth. The cane he had with him on the again of the quad was one of many solely seen indicators that it was his one hundredth birthday.
Thompson is one thing of a neighborhood legend in Tuolumne County. On prime of residing to be 100 years outdated, an accomplishment in its personal proper, Thompson is essentially the most adorned residing member of the Eighth Air Pressure — a unit which was pivotal within the European theater of struggle throughout World Battle II.
Thompson was awarded 14 medals for his service, together with two distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts, 4 Air Medals, 4 Bronze Stars, a French Freedom Medal and a French Legion of Honor.
Upon coming into Thompson’s house on a secluded piece of land in Cedar Ridge close to Comstock Ranch, you might be greeted by a hulking, taxidermied polar bear snarling on its hind legs — a memento from Thompson’s a long time spent as a looking information and pilot within the Alaskan wilderness.
“That’s considered one of 350 that I guided for,” Thompson recollects, pointing up on the bear.
Thompson sits down at his kitchen desk and pores over numerous papers documenting his awards and repair. He was honored extra formally for his birthday on Saturday on the Sonora Opera Corridor on South Washington Road.
Born in Fargo, North Dakota on July 28, 1922, Thompson mentioned he doesn’t bear in mind a lot earlier than the household’s transfer to Minnesota the place he grew up.
“I used to be solely somewhat tiny child, however my dad was a cop — a bike cop,” Thompson mentioned.
It was whereas the household lived in Minnesota that they skilled the results of the monetary crash of 1929. Thompson mentioned his father was moved to an inferior job, working for a railroad firm on the time, and the household fell on powerful instances. Thompson turned keen on looking whereas in Minnesota, the place he mentioned he would shoot rabbits along with his .22 rifle for the household to eat.
“We didn’t get something free or anything, nevertheless it was only a powerful time,” Thompson mentioned. “We lived with out very a lot for a few dozen years, after which I went to the army like all people else. There have been 4 of us boys within the household and all 4 went.”
Thompson’s youngest brother was a proficient basketball participant, so he was in a position to play basketball within the army throughout the struggle, he mentioned. His oldest brother was a sergeant and was shot twice whereas serving within the South Pacific, almost having his leg blown off. His center brother was a 1st lieutenant, like Thompson was, and fought in Africa earlier than additionally being injured and despatched house.
Thompson mentioned he can’t actually bear in mind how he felt when he flew his first mission after arriving in Lavenham, England, in April 1944, or how he felt within the second. What he does bear in mind is his third mission.
Thompson mentioned his group of 13 four-engine bombers have been led off beam whereas on their option to a goal, and have been shocked by a set of German flak cannons.
“That first blast that they comprised of down there … see, you can rely in the event that they shot a dozen off or 22 or 18 or no matter — you can look proper at them,” Thompson mentioned.
The 2 lead planes forward of Thompson have been hit, and Thompson turned the lead aircraft to finish the mission.
“The primary blast knocked the lead man off and knocked the subsequent man subsequent to him, each of them down,” Thompson mentioned. “There wasn’t nothing I may do however get the hell out of there. I remembered that one, for rattling certain.”
Thompson was injured twice whereas serving as a pilot. He took a chunk of shrapnel to the cheek and jaw on his twenty seventh mission and 13 items of shrapnel shredded the suitable arm on his last mission.
Thompson mentioned he was overcome with aid upon completion of his last mission. Having survived so many shut brushes with loss of life, Thompson was able to be completed.
“I used to be tickled to loss of life to get executed with it,” he mentioned. “Once you end these thirty missions, you’ve got a drink.”
He flatly refused a suggestion to be promoted in trade for flying extra bombing missions, and as a substitute returned to the USA to coach as a pilot for the P-51 Mustang — a single-seat fighter/bomber aircraft. The struggle ended throughout that point.
After the struggle, Thompson went again to Minnesota for some time, then determined to maneuver to Alaska. Thompson mentioned round 60 folks from his small hometown in Minnesota had moved to Seward, Alaska, and he wished to hitch them. He constructed two completely different out of doors buildings there to function hangars for his planes.
“This was method again out within the bush the place you wouldn’t see anyone,” he mentioned. “I spent about 20 years out within the bush.”
It was there the place Thompson started his work as a looking information and pilot — a occupation which took him everywhere in the world, from Alaska to Japan to Africa. Searching was seasonal — in February Thompson hunted polar bears, then grizzly bears, then took fishermen to Alaska in seaplanes.
“I bought to know lots of people from everywhere in the world,” he added.
In terms of his many awards and accolades, Thompson is modest, considering of himself as only a man who occurred to be alive whereas historical past was being made, and did his half.
When he goes to reunions or to talk at occasions, Thompson nonetheless wears the identical 77-year-old uniform he wore when he was a inexperienced, 23-year outdated pilot flying forwards and backwards over the Atlantic.
“It simply occurred that I got here alongside and (did) all this stuff when issues have been happening,” Thompson mentioned. “I flew a lot, and went so many locations; all I wished to do was sit down.”
All through the interview, Thompson was interrupted by calls from numerous household and buddies wishing him effectively or singing him comfortable birthday over the cellphone. Many extra will seemingly see him in particular person at his celebration Saturday.
Since he’s stopped flying, Thompson says he’s stayed lively chopping up the numerous timber which fall on his property all year long with the assistance of one other veteran.
“For years, we have now been slicing wooden and giving it away to seven or eight completely different folks from up the hill and round,” Thompson mentioned.
Final Saturday, Thompson was working an electrical noticed and by chance minimize about three quarters of an inch into his decrease thigh, above the knee. He went to the hospital for the harm, however by Thursday, he was up and transferring round.
That accident was one other reminder of Thompson’s uncanny well being for his age. His longevity is a thriller, he says, each to him and medical professionals.
“You realize, I don’t know. The docs don’t know,” Thompson shrugged. “I didn’t go haul ass and run round like loopy and the whole lot.”
Thompson pointed to the pores and skin on his face, which has largely retained its colour and well being, even close to the scar beneath his left eye the place a sliver of shrapnel from a flak gun shell lodged itself into Thompson’s face over seven a long time in the past, incomes him considered one of his two Purple Hearts.
“There’s no method this has been round for 100 years,” Thompson smiled.
Whereas nonetheless remarkably spry for a person of his years, Thompson mentioned he has struggled lately with each his reminiscence and power. Thompson feels strongly that the COVID-19 vaccine is accountable.
Thompson mentioned he collapsed in his driveway just a few days after receiving the shot, which he bought so as to have the ability to journey for numerous Air Pressure reunions in Hawaii, Florida and Normandy.
“In an effort to get to a whole lot of locations, it’s important to have that one shot,” he mentioned.
Having lived by way of numerous adjustments in United States historical past, Thompson mentioned one of many issues that stands out as completely different right this moment is the political local weather, which he feels was much less divided.
“I can’t imagine the identical nation may have two units of them which are preventing that dangerous,” he mentioned. “All of them labored out and did what we thought was an trustworthy job.”
After a lifetime of journey and journey, Thompson lastly appears able to calm down for some time.
“I believe I’ll give it up,” he mentioned of his common journeys to go to outdated battlegrounds and army items. “I simply give up flying about three years in the past — didn’t miss it one wit … which is type of a wierd factor, nevertheless it was simply one thing I had executed an excessive amount of.”
When requested what he was most happy with when he appears to be like again on his 100 years, Thompson takes a second to assume earlier than answering.
“I saved lots of people,” he mentioned.
