In 1931 Tommy Thompson, the founder of Thompson Tank Inc., began his education in metal fabrication by becoming a welder and foreman for R.G. Letureau in Stockton, California. Then in 1934 Mr. Thompson decided to join the U.S. NAVY. He started his naval career as welder and fitter until he boarded the U.S.S. Pennsylvania and became a diver for loose wreckage. After his four years of service with the armed forces he was offered a job as a superintendent for Gold Seal Tank and Columbia Welding in Long Beach, California. Then in 1941 he became a general partner and manager for Associated Tank & Welding. However, in 1943 Tommy was forced to put his tank manufacturing aside to go back into the NAVY during World War II. 1945 rose and he was able to return home and sold his portion of Associated Tank in order to start his own company, Pacific Coast Tank. Then in 1950 he sold out to start up his new company Thompson Tank. With the help of his two sons, Dave & Mike, Tommy Thompson was able to develop Thompson Tank with a reputation for well built equipment and good business practice. With his revolutionary patents for air systems and tank components combined with those patents designed and held by Dave Thompson, they gave Thompson Tank an excellent reputation that still lives strong today. The key being dependability and quality.