A son of a West Virginia cola mining family arrived in Vallejo during the war and was impresses with what he saw and so when the opportunity arose for him to pick up stakes and come West, he came here.

Fireman Howard Thompson served in the Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1946 engaging the enemy in the waters of the Aleutian Island chain while serving as an aviation man aboard the cruiser, Salt Lake City.

"When we stopped here during the war, the weather was so nice and everything around here seemed just perfect. I guess I made my mind up right there to return here when the war was over," he said.

After he was discharged from the service, he returned to his family which had moved to Ohio so as to be able "to provide a home for the youngsters away from the coal mines."

Thompson, 36, a native of Mogen, WV. arrived in Vallejo in 1952 and took a job with the East Vallejo Fire Department. After five years of service there and three years with the Vallejo department after the merger, Thompson is convinced the life of a fireman is the best.

He lives with his wife, Grace & their four sons. During his spare time, Thompson likes to take his youngsters up in the mountains for trout fishing or they do some fishing for bass in the channel.

"I've been kind of fiddle-footed until I arrived here and took a job with the fire department. but now I'm going to stay with this job for good. I like the town, the people and the job," he said.

SLC Deck Logs Nov. 1942  Jan. 1943

At this time there is no family contact.is no family contact.