Karl Thom
Encyclopedia
Leutnant Karl Thom was a German World War I
fighter ace credited with 27 victories. He was decorated with both his nation's highest decorations for valor, the Military Merit Cross
as an enlisted soldier, and the Pour le Mérite
after he was commissioned as an officer. He was one of only four German aces of World War I to achieve this double award.
began. He was wounded for the first time in November 1914.
Upon recovery, he was reassigned to FFA 48
in Rumania. He was captured there when forced down. He was awarded the Iron Cross
First Class for his subsequent escape. He returned to duty for a brief tour with FFA 234 before transferring to fighters.
, in May 1917.
He joined his new squadron at approximately the same time as its new leader, Staffelführer
Eduard Ritter von Schleich
, who took charge on 26 May.
He marked his Albatros airplane's fuselage with a large black capital block 'T' with pronounced serifs to identify himself in the air. The 'T' was in addition to the customary squadron marking of a vertical black stripe and a vertical white stripe just aft of the cockpit; the 'T' itself was on the outside wall of the cockpit.
Thom scored his initial aerial triumph on 22 August 1917.
The following month, he reeled off a string of 11 more victories, including a triple win on 18 September, and doubles on 19 and 22 September.
October brought changes, as Jasta 21 received Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk
as the new commanding officer and Fokker D.VII
s as new airplanes to replace the Albatros D.V
s that had been the squadron's craft.
On 11 October, Thom was awarded the Military Merit Cross
, Prussia's and Germany's highest decoration for valorous enlisted men. He had previously been awarded the Member's Royal House Order of Hohenzollern.
Thom scored only once that month, on 29 October.
November was a blank. He next scored on 1 December, with one confirmed and one unconfirmed victory.
On 23 December, Thom was wounded in action. He took a bullet in the leg while undertaking the usually hazardous duty of attacking an observation balloon. He was not successful in his assault, or would he ever shoot down one of the gasbags.
Thom's return to the victory rolls roughly coincided with Jasta 21's adoption of Fokker D.VII
s, replacing its Albatros D.V
s.
Thom shot down five enemy aircraft in June, beginning with his 15th win overall on 11 June. July saw him victorious six more times. He capped his career with a triumph each on 1 and 4 August. With 27 victories confirmed, he became the leading ace for Jasta 21. All but four of his victories were against the French.
On 11 August, he was severely wounded in the hip and remanded to hospital. He was also commissioned on 11 August 1918.
On 1 November, while he was still in the hospital, he was awarded the Pour le Mérite
, Germany's highest award for commissioned officers.
On 6 November, he rejoined Jasta 21. Three days later, he crashed, suffering multiple fractures. Two days after that, the Armistice ended World War I
.
to serve during World War II
.
He died under obscure circumstances, on 3 March 1945 in Pillau, East Prussia, near the Russian border; the invading Russians overran the city on 25 April 1945.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
fighter ace credited with 27 victories. He was decorated with both his nation's highest decorations for valor, the Military Merit Cross
Military Merit Cross (Prussia)
The Military Merit Cross was the highest bravery award of the Kingdom of Prussia for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers. It was also known as the Golden Military Merit Cross to distinguish it from the Military Decoration 1st Class The Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz)...
as an enlisted soldier, and the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
after he was commissioned as an officer. He was one of only four German aces of World War I to achieve this double award.
Early life
Karl Thom was born the son of a field hand. He began his military service by enlisting in 1911 with Hussar Regiment Number 5. He was serving with Mounted Rifle Regiment Number 10 when World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
began. He was wounded for the first time in November 1914.
Reconnaissance service
He then transferred to the Air Service. His first assignment after training was piloting a two-seater reconnaissance plane for FFA 216. He patrolled in the vicinity of Vosges until he was injured in a crash in May 1916.Upon recovery, he was reassigned to FFA 48
Feldflieger Abteilung
Feldflieger Abteilung or Field Flying Companies were the pioneering field aviation units of the Luftstreitkräfte in World War I.-Composition:...
in Rumania. He was captured there when forced down. He was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
First Class for his subsequent escape. He returned to duty for a brief tour with FFA 234 before transferring to fighters.
Fighter Service
Despite being a Prussian, he was assigned to a Saxon fighter unit, Jagdstaffel 21Jagdstaffel 21
Royal Saxon Jagdstaffel 21 was a World War I "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe...
, in May 1917.
He joined his new squadron at approximately the same time as its new leader, Staffelführer
Staffelführer
Staffelführer was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German Schutzstaffel in the early years of that group’s existence...
Eduard Ritter von Schleich
Eduard Ritter von Schleich
Eduard Ritter von Schleich , née Eduard-Maria Joseph Schleich was a high scoring Bavarian flying ace of World War I. He was credited with 35 aerial victories at the end of the war...
, who took charge on 26 May.
He marked his Albatros airplane's fuselage with a large black capital block 'T' with pronounced serifs to identify himself in the air. The 'T' was in addition to the customary squadron marking of a vertical black stripe and a vertical white stripe just aft of the cockpit; the 'T' itself was on the outside wall of the cockpit.
Thom scored his initial aerial triumph on 22 August 1917.
The following month, he reeled off a string of 11 more victories, including a triple win on 18 September, and doubles on 19 and 22 September.
October brought changes, as Jasta 21 received Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk
Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk
Generalmajor Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk began his military career during World War I as a fighter ace credited with 26 victories...
as the new commanding officer and Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
s as new airplanes to replace the Albatros D.V
Albatros D.V
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X....
s that had been the squadron's craft.
On 11 October, Thom was awarded the Military Merit Cross
Military Merit Cross
Military Merit Cross is the name for a military decoration in various states, including:* Military Merit Cross * Military Merit Cross * German States:...
, Prussia's and Germany's highest decoration for valorous enlisted men. He had previously been awarded the Member's Royal House Order of Hohenzollern.
Thom scored only once that month, on 29 October.
November was a blank. He next scored on 1 December, with one confirmed and one unconfirmed victory.
On 23 December, Thom was wounded in action. He took a bullet in the leg while undertaking the usually hazardous duty of attacking an observation balloon. He was not successful in his assault, or would he ever shoot down one of the gasbags.
Thom's return to the victory rolls roughly coincided with Jasta 21's adoption of Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
s, replacing its Albatros D.V
Albatros D.V
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X....
s.
Thom shot down five enemy aircraft in June, beginning with his 15th win overall on 11 June. July saw him victorious six more times. He capped his career with a triumph each on 1 and 4 August. With 27 victories confirmed, he became the leading ace for Jasta 21. All but four of his victories were against the French.
On 11 August, he was severely wounded in the hip and remanded to hospital. He was also commissioned on 11 August 1918.
On 1 November, while he was still in the hospital, he was awarded the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
, Germany's highest award for commissioned officers.
On 6 November, he rejoined Jasta 21. Three days later, he crashed, suffering multiple fractures. Two days after that, the Armistice ended World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Post World War I
Karl Thom returned to the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
to serve during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He died under obscure circumstances, on 3 March 1945 in Pillau, East Prussia, near the Russian border; the invading Russians overran the city on 25 April 1945.