Karl Thom

Leutnant Karl Thom (19 May 1893 – 3 March 1945), was a German World War I flying 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.

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 I began. He was wounded for the first time in November 1914.

Reconnaissance service Upon his recovery, Thom 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.

Fighter service Despite being a Prussian, he was assigned to a Saxon fighter unit, Jagdstaffel 21, in May 1917.

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.

On 11 October, Thom was awarded the Military Merit Cross, Prussia's and Germany's highest decoration for valorous enlisted men.

Thom scored only once that month, on 29 October.

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.

Post World War I Karl Thom returned to the Luftwaffe to serve during World War II. He was Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur A (o) 4/I from July 1944- September 1944 and then Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur E (v) 217/I until October 1944.

His death is uncertain. He disappeared under obscure circumstances, on 3 March 1945 in Pillau, East Prussia.

Inline citations