In 1944, as a first lieutenant, John S. Thompson led his men during an air raid as part of Operation Market Garden.

The light in the jump bay of the platoon's C-47 Skytrain came on later than expected, moving their landing zone from its intended location near Grave, North Brabant; the plane was passing over buildings when the paratroopers were signalled to leave the aircraft, and Thompson decided to wait until reaching several approaching fields.

[1] Two trucks of German soldiers arrived on the scene, but they "showed no desire to fight... [and] ran away".

[2] Thompson's platoon destroyed "electrical equipment and cables that they expected were hooked up to demolitions",[2] and their bazooka operator destroyed the nearer flak gun, permitting the establishment of a roadblock on the bridge while waiting for the remainder of the 82nd Airborne.

[3] Having had no official name, the bridge was renamed in 2004 to John S. Thompsonbrug in honor of Thompson's platoon's capture.