Harold H. Thompson

Harold Hammer Thompson (Slim) was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1908. In his childhood, he moved to the greater Atlantic City, NJ area, where he lived the rest of his life with his family. In 1938, Thompson was awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism for the events that occurred the night of August 4, 1938. The following is the entry published by the Carnegie Hero Fund about the heroic event:

Harold and his wife Elsie

"Harold H. Thompson, 30, carpenter, saved Albert D. Woolson, 32, salesman, and three others from burning and Eldridge H. Snead, 29, assistant manager, and two others from drowning, Atlantic City, New Jersey, August 4, 1938. At night while Woolson and the others were aboard a launch in Absecon Inlet, the launch caught fire. Thompson, who was in charge of the launch, was burned severely; but he tried to extinguish flames on the launch and then threw a gasoline storage-tank overboard. Snead and two other men got overboard, Snead holding to a box and the others holding to a life-preserver and the storage-tank, respectively. They drifted from the launch. Woolson and the other passengers meanwhile were on deck forward of the cabin, in which the flames were spreading rapidly. Thompson jumped overboard and got hold of a long rope attached to the bow; and exerting himself to the utmost, he towed the launch 200 feet to shore. Woolson and his companions got to shore. Thompson ran 1,000 feet along the shore, waded, and then swam 1,000 feet to Snead and the man who was holding to the tank. While the men held to the tank and to the box, Thompson took hold of the box and towed them to wadable water. Thompson ran 1,000 feet farther and then swam a quarter of a mile to the remaining passenger, who held to the life-preserver. He towed him a quarter of a mile to shore. Thompson was weak and was disabled for three weeks."[1]

For a Google map of the location of the event, click here

Harold and his wife Elsie c.1987