Allegheny County PA Archives...NEWS: Blair THAW Killed in Action, 1918, of Pittsburg, Allegheny County, PA

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LIEUTENANT THAW IS AN AVIATION VICTIM

Brother of Major Thaw Has Engine Trouble and Plane Collapses Upside Down

  With the American Army in France, August 22. - (By the Associated Press) - 
Lieutenant Blair Thaw, of Pittsburg, a member of the American aviation 
service, was killed Sunday evening when his airplane fell as the result of 
engine trouble. 
  Lieutenant Thaw, who was a brother of Major William Thaw and a son of 
Benjamin Thaw of Pittsburg, was traveling in a pursuit group near the front 
toward Paris. The engine trouble developed at an altitude of 2,000 feet and 
the machine when it fell struck a number of telephone wires and collapsed, 
upside down.
  Thaw was instantly killed and his companion aviator was badly injured.
  Thaw, although less well known than his brother, had just been promoted to 
command a flying squadron and was on his way to take over the squadron when 
he fell to his death.  His body was taken to an evacuation hospital, where 
impressive funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon.  The body was buried 
in the same plot where the remains of Major Raoul Lufbery are interred.

Altoona Tribune, Friday morning, August 23, 1918, page 9