Joseph "Colonel Joe" Henry Thompson (26 September 1871 – 1 February 1928) was a highly decorated World War I veteran, recipient of the Medal of Honor, lawyer, Pennsylvania state senator, head football coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, and College Football Hall of Fame inductee.

He captained the Pitt football team to its first perfect season in 1904 when the Panthers won all ten games and surrendered only one touchdown.

During this time, he attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, graduating in 1909, and was admitted to the bar.

[citation needed] A song to Thompson was written to honor him as football coach at Pitt.

[11] While serving in France with the 110th Infantry, then Major Thompson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his valor on 1 October 1918, during which action he was wounded for the fourth time.

Entered service at: Beaver Falls, Pa. Born: 26 September 1871; Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland.

[13] Citation: Counterattacked by two regiments of the enemy, Major Thompson encouraged his battalion in the front line by constantly braving the hazardous fire of machineguns and artillery.

Later in the action, when the advance of his assaulting companies was held up by fire from a hostile machinegun nest and all but one of the six assaulting tanks were disabled, Major Thompson, with great gallantry and coolness, rushed forward on foot three separate times in advance of the assaulting line, under heavy machinegun and antitank-gun fire, and led the one remaining tank to within a few yards of the enemy machinegun nest, which succeeded in reducing it, thereby making it possible for the infantry to advance.