William Henry Thompson
Private First Class \ United States Army
25th Infantry Division, 24th Infantry Regiment Company M
(an all African American Unit)

On August 2, 1951 near Haman, Korea

Citation reads: Pfc. Thompson, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy.  While his platoon was reorganizing under cover of darkness, fanatical enemy forces in overwhelming strength launched a surprise attack on the unit.  Pfc. Thompson set up his machine gun in the path of the onslaught and swept the enemy with withering fire, pinning them down momentarily thus permitting the remainder of his platoon to withdraw to a more tenable position.  Although hit repeatedly by grenade fragments and small arms fire, he resisted all efforts of his comrades to induce him to withdraw, steadfastly remained at his machine gun and continued to deliver deadly accurate fire until mortally wounded by an enemy grenade. Pfc. Thompson's dauntless courage and gallant self-sacrifice reflects the highest credit on himself and upholds the esteemed traditions of military service.

The Museum is proud and honored to have this soldier's Medal of Honor on exhibit! Pfc. William Henry Thompson was a slight kid with hollow eyes dominating his thin, black face.  His address when he enlisted in the Army in 1945 at the age of 18 was the Home for Homeless Boys in the Bronx. He had been born out of wedlock and raised by his grandmother in the tenements until he ran away to live on the streets. 

The Director of the boy's home found him curled up and shivering on a park bench. The youngster found a home at the orphanage. He was helpful, cheerful and an outstanding choir singer.  But when he announced that he was joining the Army, few of his friends expected him to succeed as a soldier.  He seemed to scrawny. But he did make it, and proudly returned to the orphanage after basic training to show off his uniform.

Only Eight days after his arrival on foreign soil, Thompson put his machine gun into action and sacrificed his life for the lives of his comrades.

At Thompson's funeral in a Brooklyn Baptist Church the Rev. C. L. Franklin recalled the soldier's days as an orphan,  He was "not a West Point man or a college graduate," Franklin said, "but at the hour of need , heard the cry of his country and gave all he had!"

 William Henry Thompson was the first enlisted man in the Korean War to receive this award, and the first African American recipient since the Spanish American War in 1898.  There have been many African American soldiers that have since received this award retroactively for there gallantry back then.