Around 20 Manning families lost boys serving during WWII and some lost 2 or more.
Here is some information and pictures about Tommy Thompson who married Marian Frahm, only to be shot down over Germany.

Hopefully family members/relatives will see these tributes and contact me to help out with more information and pictures.


Marian & Tommy Thompson - Rapid City SD 1943


Tommy & Marian Thompson with their car


Tommy & Marian (Frahm) Thompson


Marian & Tommy Thompson - maybe on Frahm farm


2nd Lieutenant Marion "Tommy" Thompson, Jr.


Tommy M. Thompson August 8, 1920 in Golden, Oklahoma - November 9, 1944 in Germany
Burial Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands
Plot H Row 20 Grave 24

Rank Second Lieutenant
Residence California
Medal Purple Heart
Service Number O-771837
Unit 364th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group
Branch Army Air Forces


Tommy was the pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress on a mission from Chelveston, England to Hamburg, Germany. At 1355 hours on November 9, 1944, the plane was apparently hit by flak and crashed at Bad Endorf near Arnsberg, Germany. The plane caught fire and was 95% destroyed. All members of the crew were killed except for Arnold A. Armstrong, Engineer and James R. Massie, the radio operator.

The two men who survived the crash were sent to Mariannen Hospital in Werl. Arnold Armstrong was held prisoner in Germany until his release in April 1945 when he was then hospitalized (amputation of leg) in England. Massie was taken prisoner and put in Stalag Luft 1 in Barth Germany in November 1944 for about 6 months.

James R. Massie provided the first-hand account of the crash for the missing Aircrew Report and was in 364 Bomb Squadron, 305 Bomb Group.

Members of Crew G37 were Lieutenant Tommy M Thompson, Pilot, Lieutenant Fred McGarrity, Copilot, Lieutenant Robert Needler, Navigator, Sergeant Arnold Armstrong, Engineer and James R. Massie was the radio operator. Lieutenant Needler was found outside the plane after the crash.

Members of the crew who were killed were buried in the Communal Cemetery in Bad Endorf, Germany. In 1948, the remains of Robert Milton Needler were sent back to Hartford City, Indiana, for burial in the Hartford City Cemetery. Frederick McCarrity was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.


Mr. and Mrs. John Frahm received a message Tuesday from their daughter, Marian, who lives in Long Beach, California, that she had received notice from the government that her husband, Tommy Thompson, a bomber pilot, was reported missing in action over Germany. Lt. Thompson received his flight training at Hobbs, New Mexico, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota. They were married April 20 in New Mexico.

Son-in-Law of Manning Couple Listed Killed Over Germany November 9
Mr. and Mrs. John Frahm have received a message stating that their son-in-law, Lieutenant Tommy Thompson of Houston, Texas, pilot of a B-17, was killed in action over Germany, November 9, 1944.
Lieutenant Thompson's wife, the former Marian Frahm lives at Long Beach, California.
Carroll Daily Times Herald, April 5, 1945