He was born in Boulder, Colorado, the son of Anne Cochran Rathvon ((1887 - 1924) and Howard Richard Kelsey Tompkins (1882 - 1945). His father served in the 89th Division during World War I commanding a battery of field artillery and rising to the rank of Major.
Tompkins was born in Boulder, Colorado in 1912. He dedicated more than 32 years of service to the Marine Corps. Tompkins served in the Pacific during World World War World War II He was the commanding officer of a battalion that fought on the island of Saipan in the Marianas.
He also obtained a Silver Star at Tarawa and a Bronze Star at Guadalcanal.
Tompkins participated in the 1965 United States. occupation of the Dominican Republic. In June 1966 he was put in command of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island.
He was also active during the Korean War, commanding the 5th Marines of the 1st Marine Division. In 1967 Tompkins was stationed in South Vietnam, in command of the 3rd Marine Division.
His division participated in the Battle of Khe Sanh.
Tompkins served as base commander of the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina for two years. He then retired from active duty in 1971. He died on 17 September 1999 in Lexington, South Carolina, following a stroke.
Navy Cross – Battle of Saipan Silver Star – Battle of Tarawa Bronze Star Medal – Battle of Guadalcanal American Defense Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal with star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal Republic of Vietnam Campaign Meda
