The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-02-12
MARIAN Il. THMONPSON MADE
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
The Sunday News has received the
following letter from Mrs. D. I.
thompson, of Jordan, S. c.:

following letter from Mrs. D. IL
Thompson, of Jordan, S. c.:
February 4, 1919.
"Gentlemen: I am enclosing n let
ter from France received today,
February 4, the very first news /
have had since l received on Novem-
Der 10 telegram stating that my
son, Marion II. Thompson, had been
killed in action on October T. wish
you would publish it in The News and
Courier and ask that The State and
The Manning Times copy it,"
The letter from r. A. Fulp, captain
Company e, 118th infantry follows:
Record of Fearless Man.
Somewhere in France, December
26, 1918:
Mrs. Thompson, Olanta, S. c.
Dear Mrs. Thompson: l will here
take the privilege of saying a few
words IN esteem Of your son Marion
II. Thompson. He was member of
this company, Company f, 118th in
fantry, and one that we are all proud
to boast Of
Your son was soldier, absolutely
fearless and one who could be de-
pended upon in any emergency. When
there was a call for volunteers for
dangerous arduous tasks, Marion was
always the very first one to step for
ward. He had not an atom of fear
in his whole being. On the other
hand he was so fearless that his very
presence put courage in his comrades
and gave them strength to endure and
do things that they would have
fiinched at had not such noble ex-
ample Of fearlcssness been set by
your son. He is one of the men who
have helped so much in making for
this company the cnviablc record that
it now holds.
81 was often on duty with your
son and have never found him lack
ing. At one time there was very i'm
| rort; 1T message to be sent to brigade
headquarters, and the route lay
through shell swept area. Marion
volunteered to deliver this message
and bravcly carried it through veri-
table hell Of shell-fire, safely dcliv-
cred it and returned smiling, for any
other task that awaited him. At an
other time there was Il party going
up to take part in a raid on the
German trenches. The commander Of
that party started out and there was
Marion right with him asking if he
might go along. l could cite to you
several cases Of the bravery and will
ingncss of your son, but these two
will give you an idea Of his work
Gave Evidence Of His Strong Patriot
ism.
81 have seen him stay continuously
on duty for forty-eight hours without
whimpcr, and during the whole time
devote his whole self to the task then
in hand. Also he had a very strong
feeling Of patriotism which was
cvinved in a rcmary that he made to
me one day. We were passing through
a ruined village Of France, when he
turned to me and said, "Licutcnant, /
had rather die ten deaths than to see
one town in America ruined as this
one is
"Now, Mrs. Thompson, | know that
your heart is heavy with sorrow at
the loss OF this boy, but let us hope
that this sorrow is superseded by the
| glorious fact that your son, Marion
| II. Thompson, heard his call to duty
and gave his life in the cause of hu-
manity, and that peace should reign
on this earth 1t should not be with
sorrow that you should look on your
! sons death but with feeling of pride
/ in the knowledge that your son was
4 man, and died the death of man
and soldicr-with HIS face to the
enemy. 1t is of such men that our
wonderful nation is made, and al
| though dead he will ever live in our
minds as Il brave and noble soldier
"Again assuring you Of my deepest
| sympathy in your loss, and sharing
with you the pride that you must fec
in his record as a soldier, will close
Remember that anything that | can
do for you is my pleasure.
Every sincerely,
ar. a. Fulp,
"Company T., ll8th Infantry"