Born in 1894 in Michigan, Thompson became a notable painter of aviation subjects.  While in high school, he already was an accomplished sign and folk art illustrator, painting images on local barns, including his favorite, an American Eagle in flight.

Thompson went on to study art at Hillsdale College in Michigan from 1913 to 1915, enlisting in the Army as a bugler in 1917, and spending a lot of time in Dayton, Ohio, after his discharge in 1918.  He became an art instructor at (showing 500 of 1300 characters).