Gary L. Thomson

Gary Lynn Thomson, 83, of Burlington, passed away on Monday, June 29, 2026, at his residence. He was born on October 12, 1942, to the late Merle and Madge (Taylor) Thomson in Pocatello, Idaho.

Gary grew up on a farm near Nyssa, Oregon.  At an early age, he joined the United States Army and initially served as a clerk, then a radar repairman, and finally as a helicopter pilot.  During his service, he flew numerous combat missions in Vietnam with the 1^st of the 9^th Air Cavalry as a pilot in a Hughes OH-6 Cayuse, commonly referred to as the “Loach.”  He was a recipient of the Bronze Star with V Device, the Purple Heart, and over 25 Air Medals for combat flight operations against the enemy amidst many other awards during that conflict.  He was shot down 7 times during his tour in Vietnam while providing air recon and fire-direction for various other gunships and artillery units in support of both US and Republic of Vietnam troops in contact with the enemy.  He successfully piloted his stricken craft safely to the ground to effect rescue the first six times he was downed by enemy fire.  The 7^th time he was shot down and could not auto rotate his aircraft safely to the ground for rescue, he, his co-pilot, and his door gunner were all shot and wounded and his helicopter crashed, causing additional injuries to himself and his co-pilot and killing his door gunner.  He and his co-pilot were rescued by members of the ground troops they were providing fire-support for, and he was transported to Japan to recover for over 6 months until he could return to duty in the US.   He then served as an instructor pilot and was qualified on a variety of aircraft to include fixed wing propellor driven aircraft used by the military.  After retiring from the Army as a Major, he served initially in the Civil Service as the Asst. Director of Logistics at Fort Sill, OK, and then later transferred to the Corps of Engineers, where he retired as the Logistics Director of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.  He met his wife Jeannine while he was stationed in Germany as a radar repairman.  He finally fully retired only to take on more work when he joined the Knights of Columbus after becoming a Catholic and a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Preceding him in death are his parents, Merle and Madge Thomson.

Survivors include his loving wife of 63 years, Jeannine Baldoni Thomson; his two sons, Dan (Sandra) Thomson, Geoffrey (Maggie) Thomson; grandsons, Samuel and Cullen Thomson; nieces, Marie-Christine Peyronneau, Francoise Peyronneau, and several other nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Burlington, Kentucky.  Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at 12:00 noon and military honors will be rendered after the service. Gary will be laid to rest in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery Fort Lenord Wood in Waynesville, MO.