“He won the hearts of many in Plzeň”: US veteran George Thompson dies at 99
The American war veteran George Thompson, who helped liberate Plzeň in May 1945 with the 16th Armored Division, has died at the age of 99. He was the last of the surviving American veterans who liberated the city and returned repeatedly for the annual Liberation Festival. The West Bohemian capital held a memorial in his honour on Monday.
George Thompson joined the US army at the age of 19. In 1945, he landed in Le Havre, advancing to Bohemia with the 16th Armored Division. He and his fellow soldiers liberated Plzeň on May 6, 1945.
Mr. Thompson regularly visited the West Bohemian City from 1991, becoming an icon of the local Liberation Festival. In 2022, the only mobile Sherman tank in Czechia was named after him.
I spoke with Plzeň’s city spokeswoman, Eva Barborková, about Mr. Thompson’s legacy and his affection for Czechia and the Czech people:
“George Thompson visited Plzeň in 1991 for the first time since the year of liberation in 1945. Since then, he has been a regular guest of the Liberation Festival in Plzeň. These usually take place in May for a few days, celebrating the end of the Second World War. He was one of the more famous personalities who came to the Festival.”
The Kansas native said he loved Czech beer and goulash, but even more than that, he adored the Czech people, making many friends in the country. For example, he called the people in Plzeň he helped liberate in 1945 the happiest people in the world.
“He said that Plzeň was his second home. During the Liberation Festival, he won the hearts of many residents of Plzeň. Since he was a regular participant, he also had a number of friends here. He would say that he doesn’t know a different land where its people valued their freedom more than the Czechs and Czechia.”
The war veteran’s memory was commemorated in Plzeň on Monday at several places including the memorial Thank You, America! and a memorial to the 16th Armoured Division, in which he served. Ms. Barborková further explained how the city of Plzeň honored George Thompson's memory:
“Plzeň honored the memory of George Thompson with a commemorative ceremony at the memorial Thank You, America! at 9:30, which is the primary memorial, celebrating the end of the Second World War in the city. The mayor of the city, Roman Zarzycký, spoke, but we also saw the American Ambassador here.”
A black flag was raised next to the Czech and American flags at Plzeň City Hall in honour of the veteran on Friday. A condolence book was placed in the Patton Memorial Plzeň, where people can share their memories of Mr. Thompson. The American veteran would have been 100 years old in October.
