U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 088-10
DOD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died January 29, 2010, in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations.
Killed were:
Captain David J. Thompson, 39, of Hooker, Oklahoma, who was assigned to the 3rd Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Specialist Marc P. Decoteau, 19, of Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, who was assigned to the 6th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne), 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Captain David J. Thompson, 39, died January 29, 2010 in Afghanistan while in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Photo Courtesy of Captain Thompson’s Loving Sister, Alisa Mueller, April 2010
Thompson was commander of Operational Detachment Alpha 3334, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and held that position since January 2009. This waThompson’s second deployment in support of OEF. He also served in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti as well as multiple state humanitarian assistance deployments with the North Carolina National Guard.
He enlisted in 1989 and attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He then went on to attend Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Early in his career, Thompson served as a radio telephone operator and team chief for the Regimental Signal Detachment, 75th Ranger Regiment and subsequently, communications sergeant for the Regimental Reconnaissance Detachment with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. From 1995 to 1998, he served in Alaska as a rifle squad leader and platoon sergeant with 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment.
He later served as a staff noncommissioned officer with the Command Operations Center, U.S. Army Alaska. While attending East Carolina University, from January 1999 to May 2002, he served with the 514th Military Police Company (North Carolina Army National Guard).
In May 2002, Thompson completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from ECU and was commissioned as a chemical officer. Following his Officer Basic Course, he was assigned to 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York., as the division chemical logistics officer. In March 2003 he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment and served as a battle captain and rifle platoon leader during Operation Enduring Freedom. From June 2004 to November 2005 he served as the battalion adjutant and rear detachment commander. From August 2008 to December 2008 he served as executive officer for Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and held that position until taking command of ODA 3334 in January 2009.
Thompson’s military education consists of the U.S. Army Airborne School, Ranger school, Free Fall Parachutist course, Basic Military Mountaineering course and the Chemical Officer Basic course.
His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star medal with “V” device, Army Commendation medal (4), Army Achievement Medal (3), Army Good Conduct Medal (3), National Defense Service Medal (2), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge (Basic), Ranger Tab.
Thompson is survived by his wife, Emily, their two daughters, Isabelle and Abigail of Pinehurst, North Carolina, parents Charles and Freida Thompson of Hinton, Okla., and sister Alisa Mueller.
DE OPPRESSO LIBER –
Special Forces Officer Shot by Afghan Interpreter
Thursday, February 4, 2010
A Special Forces officer who lived with his wife and two young daughters in Pinehurst lost his life Friday in Wardak Province in Afghanistan.
Captain David J. Thompson, 39, died after an Afghan interpreter shot him and another American soldier, Specialist Marc P. Decoteu, 19, who also died. Another U.S. soldier killed the interpreter, who was said to be a civilian resident of the United States working for the Army.
He became angry during a dispute with Thompson and Decoteau over pay and the quality of his work and opened fire, the military said.
The incident was reported Saturday by Reuters, but no names were released at that time. The Department of Defense (DOD) reported the deaths of Thompson and Decateau on Tuesday in a press release.
“The incident is still under investigation,” DOD said but did not mention the dispute, the interpreter, or the shooting.
Late Thursday afternoon in a telephone interview DOD public information officer Lieutenant Colonel Mark Wright confirmed to The Pilot that Thompson and Decoteay were in fact the two soldiers the irate interpreter killed. Reuters had reported the incident on Saturday without identifying anyone.
Finding fluent interpreters has been a continuing concern to the military. Afghan interpreters can pose a security risk, as enemies sometimes try to plant spies and even suicide bomber in interpreter positions. The Army has a hard time finding American citizens who can speak Dari, a common Afghan language, well enough. Often interpreters are infuriated when faced with losing the job and being sent back, according to military reports.
Thompson is survived by his wife, Emily, and their two daughters, Isabelle and Abigail. His parents, Charles and Freida Thompson, live in Hinton, Oklahoma.
The two girls attend Episcopal Day School in Southern Pines, where a private memorial service took place Tuesday morning. A funeral service at Grace Chapel is to be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, with another service on base at Fort Bragg in the Special Forces Chapel on Monday. He will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, the Army said.
Thompson commanded Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 3334, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). He had held that position since January 2009.
This was Thompson’s second deployment to Afghanistan, according to the Army. He also served in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti as well as multiple state humanitarian assistance deployments with the North Carolina National Guard.
Thompson enlisted in 1989 and took his basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He then went on to do advanced training as a radio operator. Early in his career, he served as a radio telephone operator and team chief with a Ranger regiment, then as a communications sergeant in the regiment.
He was a rifle squad leader and platoon sergeant in Alaska with 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment and later as a staff noncommissioned officer with the Command Operations Center, U.S. Army Alaska.
In May 2002, Thompson completed a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at East Carolina University while serving with the 514th Military Police Company (North Carolina Army National Guard). He was commissioned as a chemical officer after graduation.
Following his officer basic course, the Army assigned Thompson to 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, as the division chemical logistics officer. In March 2003, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment and served as a battle captain and rifle platoon leader during Operation Enduring Freedom.
From June 2004 to November 2005, he served as the battalion adjutant and rear detachment commander. From August 2008 to December 2008, he was executive officer for Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and held that position until deploying to Afghanistan and taking command of ODA 3334 in January 2009.
Thompson’s military education included the U.S. Army Airborne School, Ranger school, free fall parachutist course, basic military mountaineering course and the chemical officer basic course, the Army said.
His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, Army Commendation Medal (four), Army Achievement Medal (three), Army Good Conduct Medal (three), National Defense Service Medal (two), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge (Basic), and Ranger Tab.
THOMPSON, DAVID J
CPT US ARMY
- DATE OF BIRTH: 05/25/1970
- DATE OF DEATH: 01/29/2010
- BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 8975
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
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Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard