Cpl. Michael Eyre Thompson and the Walking Liberty Half Dollar
TomB
Posts: 21,494 ✭✭✭✭✭
Board members may recall that on September 17, 2008 a Chinook helicopter carrying Cpl. Michael E. Thompson went down in western Iraq. Lost with Cpl. Thompson were the remainder of his Red River 44 flying unit, part of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, including fellow sons of Oklahoma Chief Warrant Officer Brady J. Rudolf and Sgt. Daniel Eshbaugh as well as Sgt. Anthony Luke Mason, 1st Sgt. Julio Ordonez, Chief Warrant Officer Corry A. Edwards and 1st Lt. Robert Vallejo II all of Texas. The connection that Cpl. Michael E. Thompson had to many of us on these boards is that our fellow board member, BRdude, was his father. Longtime members of the board may remember BRdude as kokimoki from the old PCGS boards of a decade ago.
I never had the privilege to personally meet Cpl. Thompson, but he left an impression on those both in and out of the military that is easy to see in his memorial guest book and his memorial page. While the individual burial ceremonies for the men were held months ago, a combined interment for the seven men was performed this past Sunday in the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. The story from the Star-Telegram is here and an image provided from the Star-Telegram is below. The story and image may remind us of the terrible price that is paid by some in this and all conflicts.
Over the years I have always thought that three US coinage designs stood apart from all other regular issue coinage. These three designs include two that I believe are quintessential expressions of Americana and these two designs are the Bela Lyon Pratt incuse design gold issues (quarter and half-eagle) as well as the James Earle Fraser Buffalo nickel. The third design has always represented to me what it means to be an American and this design is the Walking Liberty half dollar. This piece of art has always made me wonder what people of other nationalities might have thought when they came upon the coin for the first time, whether received as contemporary change or viewed in some other manner. My favorite numismatic literary work was written by Cornelius Vermeule and is titled Numismatic Art In America . The first edition was produced by Belknap Press of Harvard University Press and is long out of print, but my copy of Vermeule states in part-
"The "Walking Liberty" design particularly gives the true feeling for breadth and sculptural surfaces on the scale of a coin. These surfaces are formal, like a well-carved marble or precisely cast bronze relief for a war memorial… The spacing of the word LIBERTY parallels the success of the dime, and the rising sun amid landscape anchors the motion of Liberty, her olive branch, and her starry cloak. On the reverse, the eagle standing on rocks with a gnarled tree at the left dominates but does not overwhelm the design. The working of the feathers is a miraculous coup de force, already cited as a hallmark of Saint-Gaudens and his pupils."
Vermeule writes much more poetically than I do, but the Walking Liberty design represents to me, with its vibrant, flag-draped Liberty and vigorous eagle full of strength a country that I would want to be associated with and one that must have seemed quite wonderful to those who viewed this art during its time of issue.
Every Walking Liberty half dollar I have seen since first reading of the loss of Cpl. Thompson has made me think of him, his mission, his fellow fallen soldiers and his family. Of course his family would include BRdude who is among our extended PCGS board family. During this time I have also actively searched for a Walking Liberty half dollar to add to my complete US type set. Recently, I was fortunate to find the appropriate coin for the set and I must admit that every time I look at the coin I again think of Cpl. Thompson. The coin below is not mine, but our own Dave and John of CRO as well as Mark Goodman have graciously provided the images and I wanted to include it in this tribute to Cpl. Thompson.
I thank you, Cpl. Michael E. Thompson.
I never had the privilege to personally meet Cpl. Thompson, but he left an impression on those both in and out of the military that is easy to see in his memorial guest book and his memorial page. While the individual burial ceremonies for the men were held months ago, a combined interment for the seven men was performed this past Sunday in the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. The story from the Star-Telegram is here and an image provided from the Star-Telegram is below. The story and image may remind us of the terrible price that is paid by some in this and all conflicts.
Over the years I have always thought that three US coinage designs stood apart from all other regular issue coinage. These three designs include two that I believe are quintessential expressions of Americana and these two designs are the Bela Lyon Pratt incuse design gold issues (quarter and half-eagle) as well as the James Earle Fraser Buffalo nickel. The third design has always represented to me what it means to be an American and this design is the Walking Liberty half dollar. This piece of art has always made me wonder what people of other nationalities might have thought when they came upon the coin for the first time, whether received as contemporary change or viewed in some other manner. My favorite numismatic literary work was written by Cornelius Vermeule and is titled Numismatic Art In America . The first edition was produced by Belknap Press of Harvard University Press and is long out of print, but my copy of Vermeule states in part-
"The "Walking Liberty" design particularly gives the true feeling for breadth and sculptural surfaces on the scale of a coin. These surfaces are formal, like a well-carved marble or precisely cast bronze relief for a war memorial… The spacing of the word LIBERTY parallels the success of the dime, and the rising sun amid landscape anchors the motion of Liberty, her olive branch, and her starry cloak. On the reverse, the eagle standing on rocks with a gnarled tree at the left dominates but does not overwhelm the design. The working of the feathers is a miraculous coup de force, already cited as a hallmark of Saint-Gaudens and his pupils."
Vermeule writes much more poetically than I do, but the Walking Liberty design represents to me, with its vibrant, flag-draped Liberty and vigorous eagle full of strength a country that I would want to be associated with and one that must have seemed quite wonderful to those who viewed this art during its time of issue.
Every Walking Liberty half dollar I have seen since first reading of the loss of Cpl. Thompson has made me think of him, his mission, his fellow fallen soldiers and his family. Of course his family would include BRdude who is among our extended PCGS board family. During this time I have also actively searched for a Walking Liberty half dollar to add to my complete US type set. Recently, I was fortunate to find the appropriate coin for the set and I must admit that every time I look at the coin I again think of Cpl. Thompson. The coin below is not mine, but our own Dave and John of CRO as well as Mark Goodman have graciously provided the images and I wanted to include it in this tribute to Cpl. Thompson.
I thank you, Cpl. Michael E. Thompson.
2
Comments
<< <i>Superb post, and one that helps appreciate a sacrifice that many of us cannot begin to comprehend. >>
Ron
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Steve
njcc
Sugar magnolia blossoms blooming, heads all empty and I don't care ...
And to the Thompsons and all our heroic families, may God bless you and grant you peace. Thank you for raising these very special children to be the men and women willing to make the sacrifices they did.
Thank you Michael and thank you Tom for reminding us all.
K
Thank you to all our Vets and Active Service members and friends, and may we never forget their sacrifices.
Brian Mackay
Proud US Army Veteran
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In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Great post TomB
BRdude.....you and yours have been and always will be in our prayers.
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[L]http://www.ourfallensoldier.com/ThompsonMichaelE_MemorialPage.html[L]
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
<< <i>This should be at the top for the second anniversary of Cpl. Thompson's sacrifice. >>
I agree.
We commend his service and sacrifice and mourn his loss.
Rest In Peace Michael.
Larry L.
AB
We'll use our hands and hearts and if we must we'll use our heads.
Text
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
The Walking Liberty Half is indeed a great coin.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
RickO
John
SFC, US Army (Ret.) 1974-1994
I hope if Kory reads this he will realize that many of us, who may not have responded, have read and prayed and shed a tear over the passing of a fine young man, the passing of a fine son of a proud father.
My family has been fortunate. We have served, and we have all come home, so far. I wish it was always that way, for all of us.
Hell, I'm tearing up again now ...
Thank you Tom ... thank you Kory ...
and thank you Cpl. Thompson
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson