1LT RICHARD VICKERS THOMPSON

RICHARD VICKERS THOMPSON

Bill Reeves
breeves61@cox.net
Friend
3503 East Menlo Circle Mesa Arizona 85213 USA
Times were different and I was young but I can still clearly remember: I remember when you handed me a bunch of money in my parents living room to make sure I had a good time at Disneyland, I remember the feeling the day you left for Viet-Nam and seeing the car driving out of our driveway, I remember getting my first letter from you, I remember the exact spot where I was when I heard of your death, I remember your funeral, I remember your face, I remember
Nov 25, 2013

Garnet Jenkins
garijen@bresnan.net
Grand Junction Co
~ Your Service And Sacrifice Are Forever Remembered ~

"TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE YOU LEAVE BEHIND, IS NEVER TO DIE" ~Robert Orr~.....
A Multitude of Thanks for your Courage, Service and Dedication to our Country and for Freedom. Rest in Peace 1LT Richard Vickers Thompson and know that you will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. My brother, Sgt. David Dickinson is a young hero, who also made the Supreme Sacrifice in Vietnam in 1967....."FROM THESE HONORED DEAD, WE TAKE INCREASED DEVOTION, TO THAT CAUSE FROM WHICH THEY HERE GAVE THE LAST FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION, THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE, THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN".....~Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address~
Jun 12, 2008

Manuel Pino Bco 2/8th 1st Cav 68-69
mpjr54@msn.com
Fellow Vietnam Army Vet
E/50th Inf Rgt, 9th Inf Div

THE EARTH SITS IN SILENCE TONIGHT, FOR AN ANCIENT HYMN TO BEGIN AGAIN. NOT WISHING FOR DRUMS OF WAR. BECAUSE WARS ECHO STILL REVERBERATES LIKE THE LONG AGO MUFFLED DRUMBEATS OF SOBBING HEARTS. THE EARTH STILL HOLDS THEM TIGHTLY TONIGHT. REFUSING TO LET GO SUCH PRECIOUS THINGS, WHILE YOUR SPACE BECAME ENGRAVED SORELY.

Jul 7, 2007

manny g
Fellow Veteran 69-70 An Khe
Union Gap, WA. 98903
“You are Remembered”
Peace and condolence, to the family and friends. "He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” Rest in peace brave soldier, you have not been forgotten. (W.Shakespeare) May God Bless You for your Sacrifice!!!

Jun 12, 2007

Jim Fortune
jlinc@gateway.net
My Best Friend
498 North Center Drive, 3A
Grand Rapids,MI 49544 USA
Never wasted life or time. Thank you for being my friend always.
Thursday, May 20, 1999

Grateful American
Fellow Californian
American Hero
Thank you LT Thompson for your ultimate sacrifice. Rest well brave soldier and rest assured that you Sir, are not forgotten.
Thursday, January 27, 2005

David Haragan
haragan@inreach.com
My friend
11155 Meadow Brook Drive
Auburn, CA 95602 USA
Our buddy now and forever
I went to high school with Rich in Auburn California. His father Vickers Thompson was away serving in the military so it was up to Mary his wife to raise two sons, Rich, Jack and a very suspect group of their buddies during his absence (what a handful!) Auburn was simply a wonderful place to grow up. A fairly small town of 5000 at the time, close to the Sierras, Lakes and rivers. As fortune would have it Rich fell in with a motley crew, myself Dave Haragan,Dick Ziegelmann,Dave Kerr,John Volek,Larry Webber and others. It was such an important time in our lives, so many firsts. First beers, first cars, first loves and our first losses. I think this is why so many of us hold the memory of Rich so close to our hearts. It was such a wonderful time for all of us and with Richs' help we made the most of it! We probable did not know how much we all loved each other then, certainly we would never tell a bud how important he was to us. I suppose it takes years and life experiences to make one realize how important those friendships and that time in our lives were. Many of us still live here in Auburn, still a great place to live and raise a family. It amazes me the depth of feeling we still share for Rich. Dick Ziegelmann and I recently went fishing and afterwards we were having dinner together in a roadside bar and restaurant. We started reminiscing about Rich and the "good ole days" We were laughing like hell at some the stories then I felt such an upwelling of emotion, tears start streaming down my cheeks. It has been 35 years since Rich died and yet it seems like yesterday. I must confess to being somewhat of a an emotional weenie (I cry at a warm handshake) but Dick is not he sat there looking at me with tears streaming down my face and then I saw him break. All 6 foot 5 inches of him unabashedly choking back tears he looks at me and said "Rich was the best friend I ever had" and there you have it. We loved Rich way back then and we still do. You know something it feels good to cry with a buddy so many years after you lose such a big part of your life. I will always remember Richs' tremendous zest for life,his faithfulness to all his friends, the love and respect he had for his incredible parents and the deep love and pride he had for his brother Jack. Thank you Rich you will always be a part of us.
Saturday, June 26, 2004

Richard Holtry
holtry@sbcglobal.net
Friend
970 Meridain Ave #9
San Jose, CA 95126 USA
My Friend
Richard and I first met at Ft Lewis. We met again in OCS and then we drove to Utah in my car in December 1967 after graduating. We were friends and I miss Richard even now.
Friday, June 06, 2003

Dick Ziegelmann
rcz@pacbell.net
friend
Box 9099
Auburn, Ca. 95604 USA
best friend
I remember sitting there in my hooch and looking over the two letters I had just picked up from mail call. I looked at the one from my mom and stared at how thin the envelope was. Mom always wrote 3 or 4 page letters. I opened it up and read the single paragraph that told me that Rich had been killed. I had just seen Rich when he had gotten in country around the first of December. He was waiting to be assigned to a unit. We talked for about a couple of hours and I told him to write me when he got to his outfit. I got a letter from him saying that he was with the 50 inf l.r.r.p. That did not surprise me at all as Rich had always tested himself to the limit. I went back to all of the times we had hunted and fished together and the hell hole canyons we had been in hunting for deer. The times we just got in the truck, tossed in the rifles and fishing poles and grabbed a case of beer and headed out of town in no particular direction ending up by some stream or river. We rolled the sleeping bags out on the ground, opened up the beer, looked up the stars and talked about everything and nothing. He was a friend like I had never known before. His passion for life was unreal and his loyalty as a friend was unmatched. He has been gone a long time but I think about him often. I also think about his wonderful parents and his brother. Thanks Rich it was fun.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005